Estarossa's Game
by lickitysplit
Summary: Unlike the other Ten Commandments, Estarossa does not care about power levels or destroying Britannia. He has only one concern: revenge. Rated M for dark themes. NOW POSTED: Part eight, spoilers through chapter 261 of the manga.
1. Chapter 1

**Summary:** Unlike the other Ten Commandments, Estarossa does not care about power levels or destroying Britannia. He has only one concern: revenge.

 **A/N:** Hey everybody! I guess between the stressful couple of weeks I've had and the complete lack of progress on my other piece, I took it out on this one lol... This is probably just going to be a one-shot. I don't know, maybe I'll continue it one day once the Ten Commandment arc is over. Please be warned there's some dark stuff ahead. Estarossa is kind of a dark guy, in my opinion.

.o0o.

The others thought he was sleeping, but Estarossa was actually searching. Researching, he liked to call it. He pushed his senses outward, allowing his mind to slide over Britannia, taking in the landscape and the creatures that lived there. He breathed slowly, enjoying the clean air. Being sealed away had been so… claustrophobic.

For hours he lay on the rubble of Edinburgh castle, pressing his mind outward, until he reached Liones. He found Meliodas easily, cleaning a bar that appeared to live on the top of a giant pig. Estarossa chuckled inwardly. Meliodas never failed to disappoint.

He watched for a while as Meliodas wiped the glassware and stacked bottles on the shelf. Estarossa's mind continued to crawl all over Britannia, but this—this demon who was a part of him, and vice versa—this is what he truly wanted to see.

Three thousand years was a long time, even by demon standards. It was a long time for him to think about his brother and his betrayal. In truth, Estarossa didn't give a damn about the rest of the demon clan. If he never saw Zeldris or the others again, he wouldn't give them a single thought. He had no room in his mind for trivialities. Estarossa only had time to think about revenge.

The corners of his mouth tipped up as he watched Meliodas argue with a small pig inside the bar. He tried to touch the little piggy with his mind, and found a curiosity there. Estarossa briefly considered delving a bit more when the door opened and someone walked into the bar.

Now this… was interesting.

A beautiful young girl stood there, and he pushed his mind towards her. She was filled with a dreadful sort of light, and the wisps of his power recoiled when they initially touched her. _Goddess_ , he thought with disgust at first, but that was impossible. Probably an Apostle, he decided. He clenched his jaw involuntarily at the thought of the Druids still in existence in Britannia. It was their magic, and their blood, that had allowed the clans to seal them away in the first place.

His fury kept him from hearing their conversation, and before he could refocus his thoughts, she was gone in a flurry of tears. Estarossa's brow twitched.

He watched his brother continue his argument with the pig, but he had changed somehow. His power level had actually… spiked? The pig stomped off, and Meliodas returned to his duties. But now Estarossa marked the tight scowl on his lips, the slump of his shoulders, the way his hands trembled slightly. There was certainly much, much more to this girl than a random customer.

Leaving Meliodas, he turned his mind back into the city, zeroing in on the soft energy coming from the Apostle. He ignored the humans and Holy Knights that scurried around the city streets like insects. They were almost as significant as insects too.

When he found her, she was talking to a giant. Estarossa twitched again. What a development this was. After all these long years, it seemed like there were still members of the old clans after all. Fraudrin had made it sound as if humans were the only ones left.

He listened to the conversation this time, pleased with how much information the two gave. The giant referred to Meliodas as "captain", so he assumed she was one of the Seven Deadly Sins he kept hearing about. The captain had also had some kind of episode the day before, which Estarossa could only surmise was a reaction to their arrival. So he was aware of their presence in Britannia. Not that that would matter in the end.

But then… oh, the most delicious bit of information was revealed.

This little girl was in love with Meliodas. And apparently, he loved her too.

Estarossa's mouth curled into a smile. What was Meliodas thinking, falling in love again? The last time he loved someone, it ended badly. This time would prove no exception.

He waited for the right moment to explore this girl further. If he could pinpoint exactly how she was vulnerable, he could use it to his advantage. Estarossa's mind wandered, no longer interested in the conversation between the girls. He imagined she would be so easy to break, perhaps too easy. This would take a bit of finesse. Estarossa was glad the others were occupied with exploring Edinburgh and not paying him any attention. The last thing he needed was one of them stampeding on his plans.

There were shouts coming from Liones, and his focus returned to the Druid girl. There was now a huge spike in the power levels in the area, and he realized the giantess was fighting… _What was that?_

The girl went suddenly unconscious, and Estarossa realized this was a perfect chance to learn more about her. Ignoring the fight, he pressed his energy forward, surging outward until his mind touched hers.

He was only slightly surprised at the lack of resistance. Someone with the kind of powers she possessed should have some kind of barrier for protection. Curious, he slid into her psyche, trying to remain undetectable.

She was dreaming, and Estarossa watched with great interest. She was dressed in strange clothing, wandering through a field of tall grass. Her feet were bare, and as she looked around, he noted the bead with the royal crest dangling from her earlobe. This girl was a _princess_ , too? This kept getting better and better! "Where am I?" she said aloud. "What am I doing here again?"

Her voice was soft and gentle, and sent an enticing shiver through him. His nerves were sent on edge as he imagined that voice begging him for mercy, pleading with him for death. Estarossa leaned forward with his mind, wanting to hear more. "I can't remember… but it was something… something important…"

She looked around with a confused expression. Estarossa breathed out, and a gust of wind went by, lifting her silver hair behind her. The girl paused, looking down to see the grass brush against her legs, when a paper danced by on the wind. He blew again, and it floated upwards. It drifted back down towards her, and she put out her hand, gently snatching it from the air.

"That's right," she said. "I was searching for Meliodas."

Estarossa peered over her shoulder to look at the paper in her hand, and was beyond pleased to see his own face staring back at him. He had completely invaded her consciousness. Now it was time to make his move. His power stroked her mind, and he materialized behind her. Drawing from her easily accessible memories, he wore the same armor that Meliodas had worn nearly two decades before as a Holy Knight of Liones. He doubted the girl—Elizabeth, he corrected himself, as he continued to explore her memories—even remembered herself seeing his brother and his comrades when she was a child. But this little detail would gain her trust nonetheless, and it was her trust that he wanted.

He stalked towards her casually, not making a sound. Elizabeth slowly turned as she felt his presence, and she looked up at him with wide eyes. Estarossa smiled down at her, and after a moment, she gave him a small smile in return. Her eyes widened in recognition.

"You…?" she breathed. "You're Meliodas…?"

My, she looked like a fruit waiting to be plucked from the vine. His smile widened at the sweetness in her voice, the happy surprise in her eyes. This would be so easy. He would have to temper himself so he did not tear her apart too quickly and spoil the fun.

But before he could utter a word, he was knocked from the dream. As his powers retreated from her mind, he heard a familiar voice calling her name even as the vision faded. He was jolted awake himself, suddenly very, very angry. _Meliodas_ , he thought. His frustration from being torn away from his target bubbled to the surface.

"This is no doubt Meliodas' doing." Estarossa registered Zeldris' voice. "What do you think, Estarossa?"

The demon's eyes remained closed for a moment. As quickly as it came, his anger retreated back inside himself. He took another deep breath of the sweet Britannia air and then slowly opened his eyes. He didn't know what Zeldris was talking about, nor did he care. He had a purpose again, a goal. The concern Estarossa heard in Meliodas' voice as he called out for Elizabeth had sealed both of their fates.

.o0o.

The other members of the Ten Commandments were proving even more boring than he had feared. They were concerning themselves with the humans inhabiting Britannia, and it made his stomach churn. Who even cared? Their arguments were petty and tiresome.

The one bright moment came when Meliodas unexpectedly appeared. Estarossa was beyond entertained watching the others deal with him. Galan especially—his whining had become almost intolerable, and Estarossa took a great deal of satisfaction as he watched Meliodas literally cut him down.

He didn't move even after he disappeared, and listened as the others discussed Meliodas' new powers. Secretly he was pleased with the new Meliodas. Estarossa always enjoyed a challenge, as fleeting as they were. But it also meant that if he was going to go through with his plans before an actual battle occurred, then he had better get started, and soon.

"You're not leaving, brother?"

Estarossa glanced over his shoulder at Zeldris, who had a stoic look on his face. "It's the first time we've been outside in three thousand years," he answered mildly. "Let me enjoy the fresh air around here for a bit."

"Perfect," Zeldris answered. "I have something I need to do near here as well."

His brother ran off, and Estarossa leaned forward, resting an arm over his knee. He suspected this sudden errand had something to do with the vampires that were now gone from Edinburgh, leaving a giant crater instead. The others suspected Meliodas, and Estarossa had little doubt. He snorted to himself as he watched Zeldris search through Edinburgh in his mind's eye. Another fool who allowed himself to develop feelings for another. Such things only brought weakness.

A bird flew down and perched on him, and the demon looked at it with a small smile. Beautiful things had always been attracted to him, and as he stroked the bird's feathers, he stopped thinking about Meliodas for a moment to simply enjoy the sweet chirping.

His eyelid twitched, imperceptible to anyone else. The bird began to grow, its body contorting and stretching into a grotesque version of its pretty little self until it stood taller than even Estarossa. He looked up and admired the bird. Perhaps he could use it to find—

The bird suddenly gave a strangled squawk, a mixture of pain and fear. The sound jolted through his head like a knife. "Shut up," he muttered, narrowing his eyes. The bird exploded in the air, and he sighed. That was a disappointment.

.o0o.

Estarossa moved quickly through Britannia, skimming through the air as he got closer to Meliodas. He knew he couldn't get too close or else his brother would pick up on him, but in order to take this princess, he needed to have a more exact location than he currently had. For a brief moment he wondered how angry Zeldris would be when he realized he had left without him, but then brushed that away.

Once he was sure where the giant pig-bar was located, he perched on the bough of a great tree. His keen eyes allowed him sight for miles, and he was finally able to see Elizabeth in the flesh. She was standing on the balcony jutting from the side of the roof, talking excitedly to some Holy Knight. Estarossa read his strength for a moment and dismissed him immediately.

Elizabeth was wearing a short black dress and—was that armor? Very different attire than when he had watched her in the capital. She laughed suddenly and he remembered the sweet lilt of her voice. He would have to remember to make her laugh so he could hear it for himself.

The knight turned and went back inside, and the girl leaned against the railing. She closed her eyes and smiled, taking a deep breath of the late afternoon air, much like Estarossa had done earlier before the Commandments had split up. He slid his powers forward and let his energy creep closer, on high alert in case Meliodas or any of the others picked up on him. When there was no immediate alarm, he reached out and stroked her cheek. Elizabeth sighed and unconsciously leaned into the touch.

It would be so easy to just snatch her up right now! He could reach out his hand and pluck her like a flower. Estarossa considered it for a moment as his energy slid through the bangs that hung across her face. The girl gave another sigh.

He pressed into her mind and was surrounded by warmth. He read her thoughts easily, learning about their quest to find their missing friends and increase their power levels before coming in contact again with the Commandments. Estarossa also saw their plan to split them up around Britannia, and he shook his head. Zeldris had certainly fallen right into that trap, hadn't he?

"Elizabeth?" a familiar voice called. Estarossa quickly pulled back, noting the wrinkle in the girl's brow as he did so. Then his brother appeared, climbing through the little window. "There you are! What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing," she said with a small blush that he found completely adorable. "I was just daydreaming, I suppose."

"Come on, I need your help to get dinner ready." Meliodas reached out a hand and helped her back inside. He turned and scanned his eyes over the area briefly before climbing in after her.

.o0o.

For the next few days, Estarossa stalked them across Britannia. He watched the princess as she went about her daily routine and interacted with the very bizarre group with whom she traveled. One of the group, who Estarossa was intrigued to discover was the actual Fairy King himself, left in anger, and Elizabeth later had cried for a bit. What a beautiful sight that was, her tears welling in her wide eyes before slowly rolling across her creamy skin. He had hoped to enter her dream again that night and perhaps give her a bit of a scare, but to his disappointment, she did not dream.

Estarossa watched and waited for the right moment to strike. He was still undecided what he would do with the girl once he had her in his possession. His first thought was to send her back to Meliodas piece by piece. But that would take too long. Meliodas was certain to tear Britannia apart in the search for her.

His next idea was to leave her for him to find. He could even offer clues, make it a bit of a game for the both of them. But he abandoned this idea as well because he couldn't decide whether to leave her alive or dead. Leaving her dead would be the most practical, of course. But alive would allow Meliodas to hope. Estarossa certainly wanted to be entertained, but his practical nature argued against this fate for the girl. And if he was going to go through all the trouble of torturing her, and leaving her forever scarred, did he really want to miss the opportunity to watch the light fade from her eyes? If Meliodas found her quickly enough, she might even survive!

To be honest, stealing the girl was even beginning to lose its appeal. During the hours he watched them, he could see how delightful she was, and understood why his brother would be so taken with her. Estarossa wanted more time with her than stealing and killing her would allow.

If it were up to him, he would make _her_ come to _him_. He would entice her, bend her to his will, and when she was writhing and panting reveal his true form to her. Estarossa's mind clouded as the idea swirled in front of him. He imagined her skin would be softer than flower petals as her fingers stroked his cheek. He could hear her gentle voice say his name, and it would wrap around him like velvet. Her body would be delicate in his hands, light as a feather. It didn't matter at that point if Meliodas knew he had her or not, because he would break her then.

He first pictured breaking every bone in her body, starting from the bottom and working his way up. Elizabeth would cry and scream and beg him to stop, and he would shush her as he worked. He wondered how long it would take for her to faint, and how long she would scream until she accepted the pain? His hands twitched as he visualized slipping them around her throat.

He thought about her long, silvery hair, and wondered what it smelled like. It probably felt like spun silk. He fantasized about wrapping his hands in it, turning it in his fingers, and pulling her up in the air by it. He had the sudden urge to yank it out, strand by strand, and use it to wipe away the blood and tears that streamed down her cheeks.

Estarossa huffed to himself. As fun as all that would be, it was beneath him. What he ultimately wanted to break was her mind. The sun was long gone, and the night was dark in the new moon. He pressed his energy out towards her.

Everyone in the bar slept. They were heading to a tournament the next day and had all turned in early. That kind of ridiculous frivolity could only be the work of Gloxinia and Dolor, he was sure of it.

He checked that Meliodas was asleep before he entered Elizabeth's mind. She was just beginning a dream, and to his surprise, she was back in the field of grass where he had first encountered her. She crouched a bit to brush her fingers through the tops of the tall grass. He assumed the form he had before and walked towards her.

She didn't sense Estarossa until he was practically on top of her. Elizabeth whirled around and looked up at him, shielding her eyes for a moment from the sunlight. He smiled down at her without a word. "Mel—Meliodas?" she whispered. "Are you Meliodas?"

Estarossa nodded. "I've been looking for you," Elizabeth said. "I was… but I think I forgot…" She frowned in confusion before returning her gaze up to his. "Is it really you?"

He nodded again and reached out for her. Elizabeth's eyes grew wide, but she did not fight his touch. Estarossa slid his hands in her hair, pleased to see that it was just as thick and soft as he had imagined. He felt a jolt as he came in contact with her but did not let that stop him. It seemed as if her power wanted to fight him off, even though Elizabeth herself was unaware of the danger she was in.

"Meliodas?" she said again. Estarossa dipped his head down and pulled on her hair gently, tilting her head back and to the side. He ran his lips a hair's breadth away from her skin, letting his breath travel down her neck and eliciting a shiver from the girl. "Meliodas, I—"

"Shhh," he shushed her, pressing his mouth against her ear. Elizabeth gasped, her hands lifting to his armor-covered chest and landing there lightly. He released one of his hands and pressed against her waist as she swayed slightly. The other curled, wrapping the locks in his fist, and he yanked backwards.

Elizabeth gave a little yelp, and he pulled her down to the ground. She landed in a heap at his feet and looked up at him in alarm. He knelt next to her and gave her a warm grin, reaching behind to unsnap his armor from his torso. The surprise in her expression melted into one of anticipation, and a light flush rose in her cheeks.

Estarossa could not stop himself from licking his lips. He reached out and grabbed the fabric covering her arms and snatched them both off in one movement. "Meliodas… what…"

He shushed her again and pressed a palm over her mouth. Her eyes widened again and he pressed her backwards until she lay on the grass. Keeping his hand firmly over her mouth, he leaned over her, pushing one leg to the side as he knelt between her thighs.

The girl's breath hitched and Estarossa noted the heavy rise and fall of her chest. Elizabeth's eyes betrayed her desire even as her body grew hot with her fear and confusion. She gave a little squeak against his palm as he lifted one of her legs and wrapped it around his waist.

Her hands flew to his wrist and she wrenched his hand away. "What—what are you doing—Meliodas?"

He could hear her heart thudding in her chest, and his own pulse began to speed up. He gave her another convincing smile as his hand traced up her calf and along the side of her thigh. Estarossa leaned over her again, planting his other hand in the grass next to her shoulder, as his hand moved higher. He squeezed her fleshy hip before moving over her stomach and around her small waist.

"Meliodas," she breathed. Hesitantly, she lifted her hands and placed them on his shoulders. Her eyes fluttered closed for a moment.

Estarossa dipped his face towards her, turning so he could feel her breath on his cheek. She moved under him, arching a bit to close the inches between them. He brushed his lips on her cheekbone and smiled as a small sound escaped her throat.

"Elizabeth, you are truly divine," he murmured against her skin.

He chuckled as she shrunk back suddenly, her eyes flying open to search his face. Her hands on his chest started to shake. "You're—you're not—Meliodas," she whimpered.

"The most divine thing I've seen in a long, long time," he growled. For a moment, Elizabeth was frozen beneath him in fear. Then she jolted and tried to push him away, but at that moment, he crushed the fist that was wrapped above her hip.

Elizabeth screamed, her body arching away from his grip, but his massive body kept her from moving anywhere. Her hands made fists that beat against his chest. His hand slid up to her ribcage and he squeezed again. Another delicious scream erupted from her, and he wished he could somehow drink them as they escaped her mouth.

Estarossa took another long look at the writhing woman beneath him before he pulled away, escaping her mind and the bedroom and back to the safety of his perch miles away. With a smile he watched Meliodas shake Elizabeth awake, and she pushed him away in her frenzied state, nearly falling right out of the bed.

Others soon arrived in the room, and it was a bit before they managed to calm the girl down. She wept into her hands, and he knew she could feel the phantom pains from where he crushed her in her dream. A hot drink was fetched, and then the others eventually left. Elizabeth finally returned to the bed and curled against Meliodas. Estarossa rubbed his fingers against his palm, remembering the feel of her hair as he watched his brother stroke her hair while she drifted back to sleep.

Meliodas' eyes darted out the window, and Estarossa slunk back into the shadows as his gaze swept towards him. Let him have his suspicions, it did not matter. The game had begun.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I decided, obviously, to continue. Too much good stuff going on in the recent chapters not to do it. Spoilers and dark themes abound, so be warned. Thanks to BettyBest2 for the eyes.

.o0o.

Estarossa slowly walked through the maze. He took his time, enjoying the strange sight of the twisted rock and body parts that made up the walls surrounding him. It was almost a work of art, if you liked that sort of thing. He preferred more subtlety, and enjoyed the beauty of nature, not this garish display of destruction and power. But even though it wasn't to his preference, it was still an impressive sight.

He turned a corner and paused. The princess had been on his left, but now she was walking back towards him. She must have gotten confused, he surmised. It was easy to do without any landmarks. Not even the sun could be seen over the height of the walls.

Elizabeth turned a corner, and Estarossa moved again. He had been following her for the better part of an hour, once he had been sure that her companions were scattered throughout the maze. He was uninterested in revealing himself to the others yet, especially since Gloxinia and Dolor would probably take care of the majority of them anyway. What he wanted was a few moments alone with her. After studying her for days and invading her space and mind from afar, he was thirsting for an actual encounter.

She stopped again, and Estarossa smiled. He could sense her energy, and what's more, he could tell that she had hit a dead end. He quickly slipped around a few turns until he was just around the corner from her. He waited to listen for a moment. "Hawk," she was saying, "what are we going to do? We are going in circles!"

"Don't worry, Elizabeth," a tiny voice responded. "I'll get us out of here in no time!"

Estarossa chuckled. It was the little pig he had encountered back in Liones. Meliodas not only brought his princess on this adventure, but his pet as well? How strange. He pushed his mind out towards hers, easily slipping inside as he had done previously. It was easy to read the distress in her thoughts—distress, not panic, he noted. Not yet, anyway.

"Did you hear something?" The princess' voice had raised in pitch, and Estarossa could not wait anymore. He stepped around the corner.

Elizabeth stood staring at the wall they had run up against, her hands on her hips in thought. Her head turned to the side, listening, and then he saw her stiffen and heard a gasp catch in her throat. Slowly she turned towards him.

Estarossa watched as Elizabeth's eyes fell on him. She clutched one hand to her chest and she instinctively stepped backwards, her eyes growing as large as saucers. "Hey! Who are you?" the pig shouted at him. Neither answered as they stared at each other a long moment.

She was, in a word, _exquisite_. Her long silver hair somehow managed to shine in the dimness of the maze, and swept effortlessly over her right eye. Her left shone a beautiful blue, highlighting the delicate features of her face, the plumpness of her lips. He noted the gracefulness of her stance and the alluring curves of her form. Her skin looked positively mouthwatering against the dark fabric of her dress. Estarossa had to hold himself in check to keep from pouncing on her instantly. His hands twitched, itching to take hold of her.

"Don't you hear me talking?" the pig said again before glancing up at the girl. "Can you believe this—Elizabeth? What's wrong?" The pig jumped up and placed his front two legs on her hip. "Elizabeth? Are you all right?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "It—it can't be—" she stammered.

Estarossa suppressed a smile at the sound of her voice; a sound he had been hungry to hear for himself. He could see that she was trembling, which excited him immensely. Her eyes remained wide, and he read a mixture of fear and confusion that delighted him. Both of her hands now clutched each other, and he could see them shake as she held them close to her chest.

"Elizabeth!" the pig demanded again. Tired of the noise, Estarossa flicked his gaze to him for a split second. The girl could not see his movement, but a moment later, the animal stumbled and fell over, unconscious.

"Hawk!" she gasped, moving to check on him. But Estarossa moved at that moment as well, taking a few steps forward. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

Elizabeth stumbled backwards at his voice. "You—who are you?" Her panic was starting to show on her face, and he frowned. It wouldn't do at all for her to faint now. He put out a hand and stepped slowly towards her again. "Another person in this maze, just like you. Are you hurt? Do you or your—pet—need help?"

"Don't come any closer." The hard edge in her voice surprised him for a moment. He remembered that she was a princess, and she must be used to ordering people around all day. Estarossa was pleased that she was not as delicate as she appeared. He gave her a small smile and took a step to the side, offering a raised hand. "I won't hurt you," he assured her pleasantly. Then he tilted his head towards the pig. "It looks like your friend is just asleep."

Elizabeth hesitated for just a moment before crouching down to check the pig. Once she was satisfied that he was indeed sleeping, her face turned back to his. "Who are you?" she demanded again.

Estarossa's smile widened. "I don't believe we've met. I'm a traveller who—"

Elizabeth shook her head and stood. "You're lying," she whispered sharply. "You—I know you." Her eyes darted around, and he could tell she was trying to plan an escape. "What are you doing here?"

Estarossa frowned. "I told you, I am here in the maze for the prize. I assume you are here for that too?" He took another step closer. "Perhaps we can help each other."

He reached out to take her hand, but she stumbled backwards out of his reach. "No! You were in my dream—don't touch me!"

"In your dream?" he said incredulously. "What do you mean?"

The girl looked around frantically, her chest heaving with shaky breaths. Estarossa stepped forward and took her gently by the arms. "Please," he said, gazing at her warmly. "Let me help you."

Elizabeth stared back at him, her mouth opening in surprise. She still trembled slightly in his grip, but her eyes remained steady on his as her breathing slowed. He watched as she searched his face, and he softened his expression from one of concern to understanding. He looked down at her mouth, slightly open, and wondered what it would be like to hear her whisper his name. But then he grinned; he had a better idea.

"Let me help you," he said again. "I promise, I'm not whoever you think I am." His hands released their hold and moved along her arms, rustling the fabric. They were thin, but strong. He rubbed her arms for a moment as she stared at him, still in shock. "What is your name?"

There was a pause, but finally girl shook herself. "Elizabeth," she said breathlessly. Her chest heaved again and she shuddered. "I—I'm sorry… It's just you look so much like…" She closed her eyes suddenly and shook her head. "I had a dream… last night…"

"It's all right," he reassured her. Then he chuckled. "I never heard anyone say they had a dream about me before. It's quite flattering."

Elizabeth blushed furiously, and his eyes hungrily took in the dark rosy color. Unable to stop himself, he raised a hand and caressed her cheek with his fingers, trailing down her jaw and tilting her chin up. Her eyes locked on his in surprise. "Who are you?" she asked again, but this time, her tone was curious, and not afraid.

Estarossa smiled warmly. "My name is Meliodas," he answered.

Her reaction was all that he had hoped for. She cried out and stepped back, but his hands went to her waist and stopped her easily. The fear and confusion returned to her beautiful face as she choked, "You can't be! You aren't Meliodas!"

"But I am," he answered. Then he grinned, and she gasped in recognition. "Have you heard of me? I am one of the Seven Deadly Sins."

"What?" she breathed. "That's impossible."

Estarossa shook his head. "I know what the problem is," he said gravely. "There has been an imposter, saying he was me. Have you encountered him, perhaps?"

Elizabeth shook her head in a daze. "No—no, Sir Meliodas is—"

"An imposter," he whispered. He tilted his head and a breeze blew by, lifting her hair behind her. Elizabeth sucked in a breath and looked to the side, where a stray piece of paper floated by in the air. Her eyes grew wide again, and she let out a panicked sob.

He moved one hand from her waist to her hair, anxious to feel it for himself before he left. He found it just as soft as he had hoped, and he twisted it around his hand. He gave a tug and Elizabeth reacted, stumbling with the sudden force. His other hand still on her waist kept her from falling, and he drew her up against him.

"Am I dreaming?" she whimpered. She trembled, and Estarossa slid both arms around her, wrapping her up and pressing her body against his. Her hands pressed uselessly against his arms. He dipped his head down and ran his nose against her smooth neck, taking a long, deep breath, grinning as she shuddered against him. Even her scent was delicious, fresh and cool and light in this place of death. Estarossa took another long breath before pulling his face away. It would be too easy to lose himself in her that way.

"Please…" she moaned, and his hands on her back clenched suddenly. He needed to end this, and _fast_ , or else Meliodas would know he was here. He was on the verge of giving over to his desire to hear this girl, this dangerously enticing woman, scream.

"After all," he continued, his lips moving along her cheek, "it is _my_ picture in that wanted poster, isn't it?"

Elizabeth jerked backwards, and he pushed her away at the same moment. She went toppling to the ground with a shriek, but when she hit the broken rock she went still. Estarossa stood over her, smiling. All of her concern and worry were gone, and she looked just like a sleeping angel.

He picked her up gently, pleased with how feather light she was in his arms, and placed her against the sleeping pig. He made his retreat swiftly, falling back into shadows, but close enough to watch over her.

Several minutes went by, and then both of the sleepers began to stir. "Elizabeth… what…?" the pig asked with a yawn.

Elizabeth bolted upright, looking around in fright. Seeing they were alone, her shoulders seemed to sag in relief. "We must have fallen asleep, Hawk," she answered. She closed her eyes and swallowed, pressing her hand to her head. "I think—I think I had another nightmare."

.o0o.

Estarossa watched Elizabeth happily follow Meliodas into the center of the maze, their encounter forgotten now that she had found her precious Sin. He had watched with great interest as Meliodas and a human obliterated one of the maze's walls. It was an incredible display of strength and speed, much like his brother had done when he had popped up in Edinburgh. It was obvious Meliodas had been indeed up to something since they first arrived in Britannia.

Watching them smile at each other, a soft blush rising to the princess' cheeks, was enough to make Estarossa see red. Meliodas had sealed them away to rot for eternity, trapped in the demon realm, and he was out here having a good time with a princess and his new friends. He smiled softly, enjoying the hot flash of rage that moved up his neck. The other Commandments wanted to end Meliodas' life, but Estarossa wanted a bit more than that.

The ground began to move, sending the players into the air, and Estarossa sat back and tuned out for a bit. Touching Elizabeth, talking to her, was more thrilling than he honestly cared to admit. He could not be sure if it was because she was so alluring, or because he knew that she was the key to making Meliodas suffer for his betrayal. Finally Estarossa shrugged. Either way, it didn't matter.

Even now, after all this time, he still admired Meliodas. Unlike Zeldris, who was always seeking a way to prove he was the greatest warrior in the clan, Estarossa was happy to simply follow him. Meliodas had been a great sense of pride to him; it was a thrill to call him brother. Meliodas' accomplishments had felt like his own.

So had his betrayal.

Whatever his reason for turning against them and helping the cursed Goddesses seal them away—even if there _was_ _no actual reason_ —Estarossa did not care. What he cared about was that Meliodas had done it to _him_.

His attention was drawn back to the game by his brother's shouts. Estarossa raised an eyebrow to see Elizabeth was chosen among the fighters in the tournament, teamed with a little fairy who packed a bit of her own power. He decided to stay alert, just in case he needed to step in and give Elizabeth some assistance. He was not about to let her fall to this ridiculous show before he had a chance to enact his own plans.

As Estarossa watched the fairy and the princess fend off two Holy Knights, he imagined Meliodas locked in a cage, sealed inside much as he had been for ages upon ages. His brother would remain unharmed, but unable to escape. This is where he would keep him as he worked on the girl. He would take his time, careful not to overwhelm Elizabeth, allow her to hope that she would leave unscathed, alive. After giving her some time to recover, he may ask Zeldris if he wanted a chance for a bit of revenge for his vampire girl. An eye for an eye… it was a most basic commandment among their kind.

The fairy was victorious, but not before Elizabeth was caught with a poison spell. He peered through the smoke rising from the ground and smiled as she stood, cured of the poison. This princess had yet to fail to surprise him.

And then, when their victory was assured, she actually stopped the fight by healing her opponent! This was too precious.

He suddenly frowned in thought. If Elizabeth was able to heal herself and others, this could pose a problem. Anything he did to her he wanted to remain permanent.

The next battle had begun, and this time, it was Meliodas and his partner. Estarossa watched them through narrow eyes. This other one was a member of the Seven Deadly Sins, yet they seemed to be arguing… and laughing at the same time? What was this? The Meliodas he knew was a leader; he did not act in such a careless and foolish manner. That Meliodas was a killer. That Meliodas took out his enemy without remorse or hesitation. This one… he could hardly stand to see what Meliodas had become.

To think that he left them, betrayed them, to become so weak…

Estarossa decided then that it wouldn't be enough to break Elizabeth. That would happen, certainly. Even if Meliodas died right now at the hands of those pathetic demons down there, he would still swoop in and take her. But before he did that, he would destroy these Sins he called his friends. He would make them kill each other, one by one. There were plenty of motivators to make companions turn on each other: pain, fear, even hunger.

When they were dead, that's when he would bring Elizabeth to him. Since he could not hurt her physically, he would poison her mind. Instead of forcing Meliodas to face his crimes, he would force Elizabeth to see them herself. It would be a beautiful thing to watch her call him a liar, to reject him so utterly. Creatures who loved were so easy to manipulate… hadn't he learned that lesson himself?

He was glad to have planted doubt inside her earlier. That doubt would grow like a fire, he knew, and all he had to do was keep fanning the flames a little at a time. She would see, they would all see, that he was nothing more than a traitor and a liar, and that Meliodas would have turned on them eventually just as he had turned on him. And if that wasn't the truth? It didn't matter, because then he would reveal his true self to her.

What a pleasure it would be to see that love die before he killed her in front of him. Estarossa would shatter her completely so she could never heal herself again. Then, as she took her last breaths, he would lift the clouds from her eyes. She would see that Meliodas did love her after all; that he loved her, but could not save her. Meliodas would watch her crumble before she died, and they would both know it was because of him. It would be his final act of love towards his brother: this time, he would aid him in betraying everyone he knows.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I don't know why I keep writing these. Warning for 177 spoilers and dark themes. My thanks to BettyBest2 and my love (and apologies) to woundedowl.

.o0o.

Estarossa stood outside of the window to Elizabeth's room in the castle. He stared inside, watching the princess toss and turn on her bed. She had retired some time ago, one of the other girls bringing her up and helping her change out of her soiled clothes. She had washed the blood from the princess' arms and legs before slipping a thin nightgown over her silent, still form. Elizabeth had refused any food or drink, choosing instead to lie down in the large bed, covering herself in the sheets and blankets.

He watched with some interest as she remained silent throughout the night. He had been expecting sobbing and wailing, maybe even a scream or two. But this… lifelessness? This he had not counted on at all. It was intriguing.

Once in a while, Elizabeth would be racked with a round of shaking. She would tremble, sometimes violently, under the sheets, a soft moan occasionally escaping her lips. Each time, he waited for the crying to begin, and each time, he was left disappointed. Now, she only lay still.

The rest of the castle was just as silent and still as its princess. The Ten Commandments would be descending on Liones the next morning, and it seemed as if they all awaited it with a sad resolve. He did not know how the others were celebrating Meliodas' demise now, and imagined it involved quite a bit of slaughter. That did not interest him in the least, not now. Tomorrow he would enjoy watching the humans scatter like insects before them, but tonight, he was filled with sadness. Tonight, he only wanted to be near the only other person who understood.

Estarossa easily opened the window and stepped inside. Elizabeth did not move, and for a moment he thought she might have fallen asleep. He approached the bed, the only light coming from the moon shining into the room. His eyes traced over the shape of her body curled under the blanket, and his skin tingled at the sight. His footsteps were silent until he reached the foot of the bed.

He stood like this for a long moment, watching the rise and fall of her shoulders. Then she sucked in a breath and rolled onto her back. A hint of a smile turned his lips and he tilted his head slightly towards her. Elizabeth quickly sat up, the blankets falling away, and Estarossa's eyes grazed over the delicate skin of her neck and the graceful curve of her shoulders.

Her breathing suddenly increased, and her entire body shook as her lungs tried to take in oxygen. Her expression was a combination of fear and surprise. It was obvious that she recognized him. Estarossa simply waited, content to allow her to make the first move.

"Are you here to kill me?" she whispered fiercely. Estarossa was taken aback by her boldness. He raised an eyebrow and he shook his head.

"It was you, wasn't it? In the maze? _In my dream?_ " Her voice shook dangerously. "You killed him," she accused.

"Elizabeth…" he whispered, his face stoic.

Elizabeth started at the sound of her name, her eyes wide. "What do you want?" she asked. "What else could you take from me?" He remained silent, and she leaned forward, climbing halfway up on her hands as she tucked her legs back underneath her. "What are you _doing here_?" she demanded, her voice rising in pitch, her lip trembling.

"I came to see you, Elizabeth," he answered calmly.

There it was, the first tear, what he had been waiting for. He watched as the drop hovered in the corner of her eye before sliding slowly down her cheek. "You killed him," she moaned.

Estarossa nodded. "I had to, Elizabeth. He was dangerous. He would have killed me." She choked back a sob and he slowly started walking around the bed.

"No!" she shouted, scrambling back on the bed until her back was pressed against the pillows, stopped only by the headboard.

"He was dangerous, Elizabeth. More dangerous than you could possibly know."

She shook her head furiously and put her hand out to stop him. "Please! Stop!" Her voice broke and he paused. Her head fell back, and she dissolved into tears. Estarossa sighed in pleasure. Finally, she was beginning to break. He only wished that Meliodas could be here to see this unraveling. Although if he had known that this is what it would take to see Elizabeth fall to pieces, perhaps he would have done it sooner. "What do you want?" she cried.

Estarossa sighed. "Just for you to understand." He moved towards her again.

"You—you—" she hiccupped through her sobs, "—you called him brother. Wh—why?"

Estarossa stopped. His eyes narrowed at her, and his jaw clenched. He took a deep breath before slowly relaxing the fists that had formed. "He was my brother," he answered in a dark voice. Having to admit that made him angrier than he expected.

"But you killed him," she accused with another wail.

"I didn't want to kill him," he snapped back, and the mask nearly slipped. Estarossa took a step back to compose himself, his eyes steady on the shaking princess, who watched him with a shocked expression. He slowly breathed in and out until his own trembling stopped. _He didn't want to have to kill him._ Meliodas had given him no choice. Did they not understand? Did no one understand? He did not want Meliodas dead. He wanted Meliodas back. But when it became painfully obvious that _that_ was not going to happen, he had to die by his own hand. He would have never allowed Merascylla to take his soul; that would have been an ending far beneath the greatest demon he had ever known. No, it was up to him to see that Meliodas had a fitting end.

Estarossa silently watched Elizabeth cry. Her eyes squeezed shut, and she made no effort to wipe away the streams of tears that coated her face. Her shoulders shuddered as she drew in deep breaths around the sobs that shook her body. Watching this soothed him, calming down the emotion that had just threatened to boil to the surface. He slowly clenched and unclenched his fists at his sides. This girl had nearly broken the carefully placed seal he had maintained for thousands of years. He wanted to see her broken now.

"Elizabeth," he said darkly. She turned her head to look at him. Her watery eyes widened a bit, and he felt a thrill to see the fear that now tinged her expression. Her breath hitched as he knelt on the bed next to her, looming over her. She shrunk backwards, nowhere to go, and he straddled her legs. He reached out a hand and softly brushed the tears from her cheeks with his thumb. "Elizabeth, you must save some of your tears. Meliodas is not worth all this."

"I—I loved him." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Estarossa nodded. "I understand. I loved him, too."

She gasped and tried to push his hand away. "You don't know _anything_ about him!" she spat.

"I know _plenty_ about Meliodas," he growled. Her stubbornness to hold onto her image of his brother irritated him immensely. His thumb pressed sharply against her delicate cheekbones. "You thought he was a hero, did you? You thought he was good?" Elizabeth didn't answer, instead just silently watching him through wide, fearful eyes. "You are the one, my dear princess, who knew _nothing_ about him."

Elizabeth moaned and shook her head. "He was a killer," he went on. "An efficient killer, at that. He murdered hundreds at the command of our king, without a single thought, a single regret."

"No," she moaned again. "He wasn't—he couldn't—"

"He was a demon," Estarossa insisted. "A demon who started a war that killed thousands."

"Why?" she whispered. "Why?"

"Would you like to see who Meliodas really was?" he snarled. He could feel himself getting angry again. Even the memory of his cursed older brother was proving to be powerful. Estarossa needed her to hate him. His hands grabbed the sides of her face, his fingers pulling her hair as they dug harshly into her scalp. Elizabeth cried out and tried to pry him away, but she was no match for his strength. "Let me show you, my lovely. Let me show you who you loved."

He pushed inside her mind, which was swirling with fear and pain. He filled her mind with images, one after another.

Meliodas fighting with a Holy Knight, easily besting him at sword play. The knight surrenders and lays down his sword. Meliodas thrusts his own weapon forward, stabbing him through his armor. As the knight cries out, he pulls him forward by the hair, twisting the sword to draw out his death.

Meliodas watching as a pack of red demons destroy a village, the people running and screaming in the flames. Families cling to one another, mothers holding screaming children, trying to hide in vain from the demons. Meliodas' expression seems bored as he leisurely strolls, watching the carnage below him.

Meliodas hurtling through the air, dodging boulders that fly around him. He pulls out his weapon, slicing through a giant without a word. He lands easily as the body, severed in half, crashes to the ground.

Then, finally, Meliodas standing over a young woman, not unlike Elizabeth. Her long silver hair flows behind her, coated in blood. Her chest heaves with a shuddering breath as Meliodas steps over her body. He regards her coldly for a moment before leaning over and slicing her throat. His face does not change as he watches her choke.

He stopped the visions, pulling back from her mind. Another moment went by, silent other than Elizabeth's breathing. Estarossa clawed at his control, gripping it as it tried to slip away until he knew for sure it was secure once again. The memories of his brother stirred his own bloodlust, and punctuated the feelings of loss and betrayal that he had been struggling with since he had found Meliodas again. He kept his eyes trained on Elizabeth's body, matching his breathing to hers as she took one deep breath after another until he was sure he would not kill her. Only then did he dare to look into her face.

Her eyes were beautifully vacant, as if she was still seeing the visions in her mind. Her mouth was slightly opened, and as he untangled his grip in her hair and slid his hands down her face, he took a moment to trace a finger along the plump, swollen lip. He reached her neck and splayed one hand across it, wrapping his fingers around the nape of her neck, while the other traveled further down, dusting over her collarbone. Lower still his hand went, sliding around the outside of her breast, grazing along the bottom curve before continuing further down. When he reached her waist, his hand stilled, and he spread his palm open, fingers reaching around her back.

Suddenly he yanked her forward, pressing her against him, holding her almost tenderly as he gripped her neck and waist. He felt her heartbeat quicken, and her hands hesitantly went to his arms, barely touching him.

Estarossa pressed his lips against her ear. "I knew you would understand my heartache," he murmured. "Meliodas was a liar. A traitor. He betrayed everyone in his life. You were next." Elizabeth's breath caught and she shuddered against him. "I did this for you. Don't forget that."

He laid her back down on the pillows, taking a moment to smooth her hair and straighten her nightgown. She trembled as his hands moved over her, and then he climbed out of the bed. When he turned towards the window, he finally allowed himself a smile. _Do you see, brother?_ he thought. _This is my gift to you. You will betray them all, even in death._


	4. Chapter 4

Elizabeth's life had become one of waiting. She was incredibly busy every day running the Boar Hat herself; her days were spent cleaning and cooking and preparing for the nights, when the tavern would fill with people looking to escape from the misery of the Ten Commandments. Then she would work late into the night, trying to avoid the empty room on the third floor, where she would lay in bed for hours until restless sleep would finally overtake her. Yet with all of the things she did, all of the work she had, Elizabeth felt like her life had stopped the same day Meliodas died. She moved through her days feeling as though this was not living. So she waited.

The Boar Hat was a different place without the others, without Meliodas. Even when it was full of people, the solitude was almost oppressing. When the loneliness would become too much, Elizabeth would visit Meliodas. She had spent days healing his body, using her powers as best as she could until she was exhausted. He looked just as he did before, and when she was done, Elizabeth almost wished she had not done anything. It was harder, somehow, for him to look like he was sleeping, knowing he would never wake up.

She was sitting by his bedside when Estarossa returned to her. Elizabeth had wondered when she would see him again, certain that he would come to find her again after their last meeting. He had shown her terrible things that Meliodas had done, and she suspected that he had much, much more to share.

"Elizabeth," he said behind her, sending a shiver down her spine. His voice was similar to Meliodas'; deeper, but so reminiscent. She felt something against the back of her neck, and realized he was brushing her hair forward over her shoulder.

"Please," she whispered, closing her eyes. "If you are going to kill me, then just do it."

He moved to stand next to her and felt his fingers brush her shoulder. "I told you before, Elizabeth. I'm not here to kill you."

She gave a long sigh. "Then why are you here?"

Estarossa chuckled at the irritation in her voice. "What is it, princess? Don't you enjoy our visits?"

He walked around the bed, looking closely at the body. Elizabeth held her breath as he inspected it, but when he reached out to touch the closed wounds on his chest she jumped out of the chair and hissed, "Don't touch him!"

Estarossa froze, and looked up at her through hooded eyes. He was pleased to see two tears fall from her eyes, sliding down each cheek. Her shoulders shook slightly, and he watched her hands clench into fists as she stared at him defiantly. "Haven't you done enough?" she said, her voice shaking. "Wasn't killing him enough?"

This new, confident princess was amusing. Estarossa was unused to people standing up to him. Even the other Commandments gave him a wide berth. Fascinated, he tilted his head. "I would not speak about what I have done, when here you are, keeping his body in this room. Tell me, are you hoping he'll wake up?" he laughed.

Elizabeth's lip quivered as more tears began to fall. "I just needed to say good-bye. I even went to the Capital of the Dead to find him, and I couldn't." She looked at him accusingly even as she shattered into sobs. "I didn't even have a chance to say good-bye."

"Are you still in mourning? Sad that he is gone?" Estarossa smirked at the idea. "Then you truly don't understand how much danger you were in."

Elizabeth's eyes slid from him to Meliodas. "He would have never hurt me. I know that. There's nothing you can say—nothing you can show me—to make me believe differently."

Her words struck him, and he finally understood. Elizabeth was as lost as he had once been, completely engulfed in Meliodas' shadow. There was a time when he would have said the same thing, believed that Meliodas would have never betrayed him, known without a _single doubt_ that Meliodas could be trusted. He almost pitied her in her naiveté. He recognized his own failures in her; he had once loved Meliodas unconditionally too.

There was a long moment of silence, and then Elizabeth looked back at him. As soon as they locked eyes, Estarossa moved towards her. He wanted her, _needed_ her in that moment. During his life, Meliodas had simply taken everything he had ever wanted. In return, Estarossa had taken his place as the most powerful demon in the Ten Commandments; he had taken his power and ultimately his life. Meliodas had had the love of this girl, and Estarossa now wanted it for his own.

Quickly he was around the bed and grasping Elizabeth by the arms. The empty look was beginning to return to her eyes, and he shook her. She gasped, looking up at him in fear, and Estarossa pressed his mouth against hers. Elizabeth stiffened, but he was pleased that she did not pull away. Slowly he worked his lips over hers, grazing her bottom lip with his teeth, sliding his tongue over the seam of her mouth. He slipped his hands around her back, slowly pulling her against him, and as Elizabeth tilted her head backwards she began to relax in his arms. She gave a little sigh, her lips parting slightly, and Estarossa took the opportunity to explore her mouth. He groaned internally, having finally tasted her, drinking in her power and her sweetness.

Elizabeth tentatively placed her hands on Estarossa's chest. Her mind was blank, simply soaking up the sensations of the hard body against her, the strong arms holding her. His mouth was warm and inviting, just like the rest of him, and as he stroked her tongue with his, she could not help herself and began to kiss him back.

She gasped in surprise as he surged forward, pressing her against the wall. His mouth was now urgent, demanding, and Elizabeth tried to keep up as her mind whirled. His hands were moving over her body, down her back, over her hips, grazing her stomach, and with each touch she felt a bit of herself going numb. Suddenly the grief, the loneliness, the utter silence of her life began to recede, replaced by a slowly building need.

Elizabeth felt his hands on her legs, and he easily lifted her up as he pulled her thighs apart. She grasped Estarossa by the shoulders, obediently wrapping her legs around his waist. Her head tilted to the side, her mouth slanting as she deepened their kiss, and she felt a flutter in her chest as he made an appreciative noise in his throat. His body pressed forward, pinning her to the wall with his hips as Elizabeth sank into his arms.

He released her mouth with a swipe of his tongue over her throbbing lips. Then he dove down, nipping and sucking along the side of her jaw, biting her softly on the neck. Elizabeth turned her head to allow him to continue his journey towards her shoulder, when she caught sight of the still figure in the bed. "No," she whispered, pressing her hands weakly against him even as she shuddered at the feeling of his mouth on her throat.

Estarossa must have known why she protested, because then they were moving again. He carried her, kissing her neck the entire time, out of the room and up to the third floor. Elizabeth did not know or care that he knew where to go, that he knew she had moved back into the upstairs room. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, squeezing her legs around him to hold on. All she knew was his mouth on her skin and his hands on her thighs; all she could feel was his heat and his strength and his need for her; and it drowned out the pang of heartache she had felt at seeing Meliodas.

He carried her to the bed and laid her down, carefully climbing over her. Elizabeth's legs remained locked around him, and Estarossa pressed his face against her neck, breathing in her scent. She was light as a feather, her skin soft and cool, her mouth sweet at berries. He took several breaths to focus himself. Elizabeth would be his, and he would be a fool to use her up too quickly.

He pulled up and looked down at his prize. Her thin arms encircled him, her hair splayed out underneath her, her chin tilted up, offering her mouth and neck to him. Estarossa bit his own lip looking at the flushed and swollen state of her mouth. He dipped down to take another taste, sliding his hands along her sides as he did so. Elizabeth shivered underneath him, and suddenly he wanted to feel every inch of her skin.

Carefully he removed her skirt, pulling it down her slim legs slowly and deliberately. His fingers grazed her skin and she shifted under him, lifting her hips to allow the fabric to slip over her. Estarossa devoured the curve of her legs and the flare of her hips, unable to help his rough caress as he moved his hands up and down her form. He paused a moment to squeeze her hips before sliding his hands across her smooth stomach. Placing one knee on the bed, he moved his hands upwards, pushing her shirt up and over her head before tossing it aside.

Estarossa leaned back, panting as he took in the sight of Elizabeth in front of him. Her skin was flushed, her arms still raised over her head, her face tilted into the side of her arm. Her chest rose and fell with deep breaths, her beautiful breasts arching up towards him and making his fingers twitch. He licked his lips as he tried to decide what to taste first. He could feel his heart thudding in his chest with the anticipation of touching her, kissing her, sliding inside of her.

Elizabeth pressed her face against her arm, hiding her eyes so he could not see the tears that fell. She could feel his hands on her body, his mouth moving over her stomach, pressing against her thighs, kissing wetly over her breasts… but she blocked out that it was _him_ and gave herself over to the fire that flared under skin, to the throbbing that had begun in her core. She bit back a moan at the shivers of pleasure that rippled through her, the way her body began to clench in anticipation of what he would touch next.

As he caressed and kissed her, Elizabeth thought of Meliodas. It was the first time since the day he was killed, that night when Estarossa had shown her another side of him, that she had allowed herself to feel all of the grief that had been held back with a carefully constructed wall around her heart. Her stomach twisted as fresh sobs threatened to spill, but the agony was tempered by the sinful pleasure and the coiling desire that clouded her mind. Estarossa's hands were rough, his touch on her deliberate as he grabbed her, and she could not help but think of all of the playful pinches from Meliodas. How many times had she imagined sharing this moment with him? How many times had she wondered if they ever would? Now that it would not happen— _could never happen_ —she welcomed the chance to escape.

Estarossa moved over Elizabeth, tasting and feeling every inch of her. He listened with delight to the sweet sounds that escaped her, relished in the tremors he felt travel through her body. His own body was responding to her, and he struggled to keep himself in check and remember how delicate this girl was. He could crush her with barely a thought, break her and tear her if he desired. But for once, he did not want to destroy; he wanted to possess her.

Carefully he pushed her legs apart, longing to feel her limbs wrapped around him again. He curled her thighs around his hips and pressed his face against her chest. Her scent was becoming intoxicating, and even as he willed himself to remain in control, his hand moved almost on its own, sliding over towards her slick heat. Her folds were incredibly soft, scorching hot and wet, and his groan matched her own as he began to stroke her intimately.

Feeling his hand on her, his fingers slipping inside her, Elizabeth became consumed with pleasure. The warring inside her between sorrow and passion began to tilt and she found herself moving against him, reaching for Estarossa even as he pulled away. She cried out, needing his overwhelming presence back on top of her. To her relief he returned moments later, their skin now touching as he lay on top of her, and slowly he pressed his body to hers.

It felt as though she would be devoured by the searing heat of him. Elizabeth could think of nothing except the delicious thrum of desire that was nearing its peak. She wrapped herself around Estarossa, drawing him in, tilting and twisting her body to allow him to push her harder, faster, deeper than she had ever imagined. His breath was hot against her neck, his soft grunts driving her towards her finish, towards oblivion.

But when she reached her climax, Elizabeth was jolted from her fog. Instead of the nothingness she had craved, she suddenly felt _alive_. Her body shook as the waves of intense pleasure overtook her, and allowed a soft moan as Estarossa pressed her further and further into ecstasy, his body grinding hard against her. Eventually Elizabeth felt him come to a still, and the bliss began to subside, replaced with a sharp clarity that she had not felt since before Meliodas' death. The blanket of despair was gone.

They panted together in the thick silence of the room. Estarossa kissed her neck, squeezing her briefly as he slid his body from hers. "Elizabeth," he breathed, lifting his head to gaze down at her. He wanted to see her reaction, smiling as he imagined the confusion and pain he would see there, soon to be replaced by acceptance as she surrendered to him.

Instead, he saw resolution. He frowned slightly, drawing himself over her, pressing her into the bed. "Elizabeth," he said again, his voice threatening this time.

She met his eyes with a coldness he had never seen before. "I want you to leave," she said quietly. "And never return."

Estarossa grit his teeth in anger. His hand flew up, gripping her by the throat, squeezing the breath from her. Elizabeth tried to gasp, arching against him, as her eyes slid closed.

When she opened them again, she was in her chair next to Meliodas. Elizabeth sat up quickly, ignoring the stiffness from being slumped in the chair, wincing as she swallowed. But the typical grogginess she normally felt when she woke in the morning was gone, the lethargy absent from her body from the first sound sleep she had had without Meliodas. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she stood, walking slowly towards the bed.

Meliodas was still there, looking as though he was sleeping peacefully. She knelt down, brushing his hair back, and whispered, "Please come back to me." But this time, no tears fell.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** This is dedicated to my dear friend Cerulean Grace, who encourages my insanity.

* * *

Estarossa was angry. It had been weeks since his brother Meliodas' death, and still he continued to haunt him. Estarossa had wanted to take away everything from him: his friends and his power and even the woman he protected. Yet still, the Holy Knights continued to fight, some even invoking his memory. Still, Britannia was not under their complete control. And, most importantly, Elizabeth was still not his.

Their last encounter had left him uncharacteristically shaken. He had expected Elizabeth to crumble for him, to give her soul over to him in utter defeat. However, she had defied him in the end, daring to command that _he_ leave her, that he not ever return! Just thinking about her whispered words to him made his blood boil. She was beautiful underneath him in that moment, her body naked and flushed and beaded with sweat, his own body covering hers, still trembling from their passion. And it _had_ been passionate; there was no way possible she had not felt the connection between them.

So for her to send him away, to dismiss him… it was incomprehensible.

It was Meliodas' influence, he knew. Meliodas' memory still etched into her mind, whatever lies he had told her still wielding an incredible influence on her. How could he possibly compete with a man who was practically martyred in front of her? And his dead body, his corpse kept pristine by her powers inside the ridiculous walking tavern, providing a constant reminder, like some kind of grotesque fantasy.

Estarossa was careful. He did not hate Elizabeth; instead, he pitied her, and desired her, and envied the care she still showed to his traitorous brother. He would watch her whenever he could, keeping his distance from the tavern, observing her cooking and cleaning and serving customers in the most delightful little clothing. He would smile to himself whenever she smiled at one of the people who came to forget their troubles in the tavern, seeing her eyes for him, her smiles for him, her mouth and her caresses, only for him. Because even though Meliodas had taken her heart, he had taken her body for his own. As far as Estarossa was concerned, he was ahead in this game.

"You are pathetic," Zeldris said to him as he came back from watching her sleep. The Ten Commandments—eight now that those fools Galan and Merascylla had gotten themselves killed—were systematically rounding up citizens and stopping the little pockets of resistance that had cropped up as they moved towards Lioness. Between missions, Estarossa would slip away and spend hours observing her.

"I don't understand what interest you have in this girl," Zeldris told him. "She's just a human. She doesn't even have any true power."

"Meliodas thought she was interesting enough," Estarossa said blandly, in way of explanation, and Zeldris snorted. "Even more of a reason to kill her," he had responded.

.o0o.

As he watched her, day after day, Estarossa plotted. There had to be a way to catch her attention and make her forget about Meliodas. He knew that it was his memory that kept her going, the absolutely ludicrous hope that he would somehow come _back_ from death. Meliodas was gone; he had made sure of that. Yet Elizabeth still believed with the most aggravating of vices: hope.

It wasn't enough to just take her. He could walk into the tavern this very moment and snatch her away. But Estarossa knew that if he did that, Elizabeth would not give herself to him. He had exposed Meliodas for the liar and murderer he was, had invaded her mind and explored her body, trying to show her that her fantasy of him being a hero was just that: a fantasy. Estarossa wanted Elizabeth to not only belong to him; he wanted her to reject Meliodas.

Then, one day he realized he was going about this all wrong. He didn't need to make Elizabeth forget Meliodas, or give up her love for him. He had wanted her to hate his brother; before having to kill Meliodas, he had imagined her looking at the traitor with disgust, and Estarossa would delight in hearing her send him away. Her cruelty towards him, her rejection of him, would Estarossa's payback for his own betrayal.

But Estarossa smiled as he realized he did not need to do all of this. All he had to do was make Elizabeth hate _him_. If she did that, then she would fall victim to his commandment. Then she would be his to take, to do with as he pleased, and she could not fight him or look at him with those cold eyes and send him away. The next time he came to her, she would be defenseless against him, and then she would look at him with the fear and defeat he longed to see.

Estarossa immediately began to implement his plan. He had invaded her dreams before, so he knew that she would sense his presence immediately. So he decided to be aggressive, and attack her where she was most vulnerable. It was easy to press into her mind, especially while she slept, her defenses lowered. Obviously Meliodas had never warned her about his abilities. All he had to do was push forward, and blow a suggestion into her mind, and her dreams would warp and change into whatever he wished.

Sometimes he would have her dream about the field where they had first met. Elizabeth would walk through the tall grass, always confused, and when he approached, she would call him Meliodas. The sound of her voice always sent a thrill through him. Then he would nod, and reach out for her. The first time he managed to hurt her, he drew his fingers through her hair delicately, over and over, until he grasped her and yanked as hard as he could. Her hair had come free, a handful of it dangling from his fingers, and Elizabeth had dropped into a ball of screaming and blood. Estarossa laughed as he was pushed backwards, the girl waking up with a cry.

After that, each time he found her in the tall grass, she would be more cautious. At first she would still approach him, but when he reached for her, trying to grab her arm or her waist or her breast, the memory of him must have come flooding back, and she would scream and fight, jolting herself awake. Eventually she learned his game, and one night was pleased to find her crying and trembling in the grass, her face covering her hands. Elizabeth turned frightened eyes towards him as he stepped closer, and she had turned and ran.

What a delightful chase that was! He followed her slowly, letting her get far ahead. The grass went on and on, and he used his suggestive abilities to keep a tree or a hill or a house from appearing and offering some sanctuary. Finally Elizabeth had collapsed, the fear rolling off of her in waves. Then, as he stepped over her, looking down with an easy smile, the dream was snuffed out like a candle.

Besides the grass, Estarossa would sometimes send images of the tavern. He would enter like the other customers, and she would serve him like the others, offering her friendly smile as she brought him food, sometimes a brush of her hand on his shoulder as she moved around the tables. For several nights, he enjoyed just watching her, allowing her to sleep deeply with the comforting, familiar images.

He could tell when her defenses had been particularly lowered. She had suffered three consecutive nights of the tall grass dream, and he guessed she had slept only a handful of hours during that time. Elizabeth was exhausted, her eyes rimmed and her hair limp, the freshness of her skin dulled. She had whimpered that night in bed, surely afraid of meeting him again in the field. So when he gave her the tavern, she sunk into a deep, deep sleep, and he easily slipped inside without her even noticing him.

The dream was energetic, and fun, and he chuckled to himself as the customers laughed and drank around him. Finally, she approached his table, her smile bright and unassuming. He smiled back at her, and when she bent over to speak to him over the din, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her against him.

"What—?!" she exclaimed, squealing as her body went off balance. Estarossa stood and pinned her to the wall in one movement. He pressed his mouth on hers, his fingers digging into her thighs as he lifted her legs, pulling them apart so he could grind his hips on hers. "Stop!" she managed to yelp, wrenching her mouth away. "Help me! Please!" she called over her shoulder, but Estarossa made sure the patrons of the bar did not answer. Not a single one even looked over as he aggressively moved his hands over her body, biting her hard on the side of the neck.

"Let me go!" she wailed, and then Estarossa pressed his face against hers, growling in her ear, "But Elizabeth, you liked this so much last time."

" _No!"_ she screamed, beating at him uselessly now, and Estarossa could sense that she was trying to wake up, her mind crawling step by step from the deep unconsciousness that her body had craved. Quickly he shifted his hands to her arms. He pulled back before slamming her into the wall, her body going limp and her head rolling to the side. Only a small moan came from the girl, and he chuckled to himself. She would have a hell of a headache when she finally managed to wake up, certainly.

Estarossa let go of her arms, and she dropped to the floor in a heap. "I'll see you tomorrow," he said, turning and leaving the tavern. It began to fade as he reached for the doorknob, and then he pulled back from her mind, laughing to himself from his spot a mile away.

.o0o.

A human cannot escape sleep; eventually the body will take over. Estarossa knew that as he pressed Elizabeth, sometimes haunting her, sometimes hurting her. She tried to fight it, tried to keep herself from sleeping. Day after day, night after night, he would come to her when he could, leaving Zeldris and the others the moment his duties were finished. They questioned him and his game, and he could see on their faces the confusion, but he did not care. The Ten Commandments were nearly at Lioness, and after taking the castle, he knew it would not be long before he would have to make his move. He had to dedicate all of the time he could to filling Elizabeth with hate.

Even when she wasn't sleeping, Estarossa would still try to torment the princess. Sometimes it took a breeze as she was dozing on her feet, or the caress of his mind against hers as she was performing a chore, and Elizabeth would jump a foot off the ground, whirling around. He could tell that she knew something was happening, and was irritated the first few times, because she ran upstairs to the bedroom to check on Meliodas. As if _he_ was the one touching her, whispering to her! Finally Elizabeth stopped checking, and the anxiety was growing beautifully on her face.

Elizabeth eventually put up a final act of resistance, forcing herself to stay awake for three days. The little pink pig squealed and stomped, demanding she rest, but Elizabeth would not give in. He would catch her dozing a bit, sometimes closing her eyes for minutes at a time, but she would shake herself awake. By the third day, she could not eat, and just sat, slumped in the chair next to his brother's bed, crying silently. "Please come back," she whispered to the body.

Sleep won out, in the end, and by nightfall she was out, breathing deeply, all curled up in the chair. When Estarossa arrived, he was beyond pleased to see her resting, and pushed inside her mind to observe.

Elizabeth was in the bedroom of the Boar Hat, pulling a blanket over the bed, and for the first time in all the times Estarossa had entered her dream, Meliodas was there. He stopped short of materializing, shocked to see the fearsome demon perched on the window seat and watching her. Estarossa's chest constricted as Elizabeth smiled at him and said, "How many did you say you wanted? I think there are three pillows in the closet."

"Three is fine," Meliodas agreed, and with a grin she hurried over to the closet door, throwing it open and rummaging through it. Estarossa stood in the doorway of the room, and shot his power forward to examine the Meliodas that watched her with a smile. However, he had nothing to fear; this was not the real Meliodas, just a figment of Elizabeth's imagination. A slow smile grew across Estarossa's face, and he easily slipped inside, taking control of the blonde demon.

"Elizabeth, did I ever tell you about how I got here?" Meliodas said, even as Estarossa slipped inside the Boar Hat. Elizabeth shook her head and happily settled herself on the bed as Meliodas approached her, even as Estarossa scooped up her sleeping form and carried her to the bedroom, laying her down on her back. "I was the captain of the Ten Commandments, you know," Meliodas said. His hand brushed her hair back and cupped her cheek while Estarossa ran his own hand along the side of her face.

Estarossa began to undress her, all the while watching her dream. Meliodas carefully unbuttoned her shirt, opening the tie and sliding it down her arms, and Elizabeth shifted on the bed to allow Meliodas—and in turn, Estarossa—to pull her skirt and stocking down her legs. "I killed many, many people, of all different races," he said, his mouth grazing down her neck and biting into her bare shoulder.

Elizabeth shivered underneath him, and in her dream, nodded. "I understand," she said softly, moving back on the bed as Estarossa climbed over her. Both of them slid their hands over her body, kissing a trail down the center of her chest, pausing at her navel. As he dipped his tongue inside, Meliodas said, "I even killed the goddesses. I killed women and children. I tore their bodies apart."

Her legs spread as his body slid down, and Estarossa could see the arousal on her flushed lips. His head dipped down as he kissed her body deeply, and in his mind, he saw the Elizabeth writhe on the bed underneath Meliodas' mouth. Her sounds and her taste and her heat were like a drug, and Estarossa gripped her legs tightly, digging his fingers into her skin to keep himself grounded.

When she was panting, her climax fast approaching, he stopped, undoing his pants as he moved up her trembling body. Meliodas also moved, positioning himself between his legs, his hands moving over her chest to give a hard squeeze. "I'm a demon, Elizabeth," he said, and she gasped as Estarossa pinched her nipple before taking his length in his hand and guiding it towards her opening. "Did you love me?" Meliodas asked as he slid inside of her.

"Yes," she whispered, drawing her knees up, accommodating his body as he slowly filled her. Estarossa braced his hands on the bed, watching her sleeping form arch against him, adjusting to his length and thickness as her head rolled to the side, her eyes fluttering with her dream. He bent to press his nose against her white throat, and then started to move. "It's a shame, really," Meliodas growled as he slid in and out of her.

Estarossa enjoyed the two girls immensely: one silent and limp underneath him, unaware of her own body's responses to his own; the other gasping and rocking her hips, biting her lip as she tried to make sense of what was happening.

"Meliodas," she moaned, and Estarossa bit the top of her breast, hard. She cried out and Meliodas said, "I don't love you, Elizabeth. I guess you never realized it."

"What?" she gasped, her fingers clenching into Meliodas' shoulders, and Estarossa watched in delight as her hand curled into the bedsheet beneath them.

Estarossa stilled for a moment, planting a kiss on her earlobe, and Meliodas whispered in her ear, "I never loved you. I used you to help me find the Sins." The brothers smiled down at her, eager for her reaction, and to their amusement, her face flushed a deep hue and little tears welled in the corners of her yes. He began to move again, harder this time, his breath becoming a pant. "I'm the most feared demon to ever live," Meliodas snapped between thrusts. "I was next in line to be king. How could I love a pathetic girl like you?'

His hand moved between their bodies, and Estarossa began to tease her, drawing her pleasure out as he pounded in and out of her, wanting her release to hit her fast and hard. Elizabeth cried out, trying to push her way out from under them, but Estarossa held her steady with a firm hand, and Meliodas kept her pinned to the bed with his body.

"Please," she moaned to Meliodas, and Elizabeth whimpered under Estarossa, her body trembling. He could sense that she was starting to wake up, so he quickened his pace, driving into her until he felt her body clench around him. As the first tremors began, he pressed his lips on hers and said, "Open your eyes, Elizabeth."

On command, her eyes opened, and he grinned down at her as she crashed over the edge. Her body arched up, her chest pressing against his, and she wailed as his mouth slid down her neck. Then with a final thrust he buried himself deep within, filling her and spilling inside of her.

When he returned to himself, Elizabeth was shaking underneath him, covering her face with her arms. Estarossa could hear her quiet cries, and he leaned down to kiss each of her breasts as he slid out of her. "You are breathtaking, Elizabeth," he said as he stood, straightening his clothes. "It's a shame that he didn't love you."

Elizabeth did not answer, simply rolling to the side and curling up, already drifting back to sleep in her exhaustion. "Look at me," he murmured, but she refused, turning her face into the pillow. Estarossa chuckled. "I'll see you tomorrow," he finally said before leaving again.

.o0o.

Estarossa did not return the next day, however. The Ten Commandments began their assault on Lioness, attacking the castle, and somehow things had gone horribly wrong.

Estarossa was in the worst pain he had ever felt. His entire body was on fire, still burning from the flames that had been sent by that _monster_ who called himself Escanor. His clothes and his skin had been burned, and he struggled for air as his body frantically tried to repair itself.

His lungs sucked oxygen in and out, and he tried to move, tried to sit up, tried to do _anything_. But he found he was unable to even lift his head. Estarossa stared upwards into the sky, watching the sun travel as it neared noon, and he cursed that thing and cursed the Sins and cursed Meliodas, the root of _all_ of this.

Footsteps approached, and painfully he turned his head to the side. Was it Zeldris? The last thing he remembered before the blinding light and heat was hearing his brother's voice, calling for him. But to his shock, it was two slender legs that approached, one covered in a dark stocking, and he choked as he tried to shout.

"I'll be right back, Hawk! I think someone is hurt over here!" Her voice was like music, reaching his ears on the breeze. He whispered her name, pushing out towards her with the last sliver of strength he had, and he saw her stumble as she approached before skidding to a stop.

"Elizabeth!" the pig squealed, somewhere in the distance. "Where are you? What is it?!"

There was a long moment where she stood perfectly still. Estarossa could barely breathe in anticipation. Then, finally, she walked towards him. Her steps were slow and steady, and his stomach trembled in anticipation as she grew closer and closer.

He heard her gasp, and Estarossa was healed enough to move his neck. He looked up, squinting in the sunlight… and there was Elizabeth, standing over him, the sun behind her, shimmering like a halo. Her hair shone bright white, her hand clutched to her mouth, and he watched as her chest heaved with unsteady breaths. "It's… you…" she whispered.

"Elizabeth," he croaked, cursing Escanor again, cursing this entire damned realm. He struggled to stand, angry now that she was seeing him like this. He was going to reveal himself to her once the castle was taken, and there was no one left to possibly interfere with the plans he had for her. He willed himself to get up, to do _something_ , because he needed to look into her eyes as she stared back at him with hatred for what he had done.

He only managed to move up onto his elbows, however; and when he looked into her face, he was jolted when he saw not hate, but pity. There was horror as her eyes moved over his decimated form, and fear of him, certainly—but there was not a trace of hatred. Instead, the terror was mixed with sorrow, and tenderness, and grace.

Elizabeth hesitated a moment before dropping to her knees, and Estarossa could not help but shrink backwards from her. Tentatively she held out her hands, and a soft glow came from them. Then an incredible power was moving through him, filling him with a delicious warmth, and he could feel every tendon and tissue mending itself. He gasped, wondering what it could mean, raising a hand in front of his face to see the burns fading away.

Then the glow was gone, the pain gone, and he sat up quickly, startling Elizabeth. She scrambled backwards, pushing away from him with her hands and feet. "Elizabeth," he snapped harshly. "Why did you do that?"

"You—you were hurt—" She shook her head, the realization finally hitting her, and Elizabeth scrambled to her feet and took off running. He watched her go, too stunned to follow.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I just want to take the opportunity to say THANK YOU to all of you who have stuck with this fic, enjoyed this story, and sent me reviews or PMs about it. It's been amazing to get to know new people through discussing this story, and I am so, so grateful that all of you have given it a chance. I feel as though this story will be concluding soon, but inspiration comes as Nakaba sees fit to give it through the manga. So I wait, like all of you, to see what happens next.

I want to say a special thank you to my very dear friends Cerulean Grace, BettyBest2, and Woundedowl. Without your encouragement and patience with me, this would never get written.

* * *

Estarossa sat in the scorched grass, watching as Elizabeth's silver hair swung back and forth as she retreated into the distance. Somehow, she had cured him, using her power to kickstart his own healing process. His skin felt tight and new, and his eyes traced over his arms, his hands, his legs, where just minutes ago there only existed crisp, black char.

Once more he glanced up to look for the princess, but she was long gone. How long had he been sitting here in wonder? He needed to get up, to go back to Lioness and wrap his hands around the throat of that _monster_ Escanor, but found he could not move. The princess had healed him. His Elizabeth had healed him.

"Elizabeth," he said aloud, and the sound of her name snapped him out of his stupor. Quickly he scrambled to his feet, his body still sore from the fight, but feeling stronger by the second. Estarossa looked down and realized his armor was gone, and his clothes nothing more than burned tatters. He had to go and regroup, to find the others, find Zeldris. But the need to follow her and see her again was overwhelming, and was what ultimately got him moving.

He did not get far, however, before the sound of a shout stopped him. "Estarossa! You are alive!"

Zeldris landed easily before him as his black wings dissipated. The younger demon strode forward and gripped him tightly on the arm. "I thought for sure that thing had killed you!" Estarossa only shook his head, his mind still struggling to process everything that happened. "We need to go," Zeldris said. "Come back with me to Camelot, and you can—"

"No," Estarossa said, shaking him off. "I'm going back to Lioness."

Zeldris frowned. "What for? Escanor has not been seen since your battle with him. Hopefully he destroyed himself in that attack. Fraudrin and Grayroad are there, they can take care of the rest of those Holy Knights easily." His gaze went up and down as he took in Estarossa's scorched clothing. "You've healed yourself well, but you cannot go and fight like this." Then he frowned and said, "The power you must have used to do this much healing will have left you very depleted. You'll need to devour souls before you can expect to fight."

"I'm not going back to fight," Estarossa muttered, and began stalking across the grass. He did not get very far before Zeldris stepped in front of him. "Get out of my way," he said.

"What do you think you are doing?" Zeldris demanded, his arms folded as he scowled. "Where are you going?"

Estarossa tilted his chin up, gazing coolly at his younger brother. He might be their leader, but he was _not_ about to let him stop him from going back. "I won't say it again. Get out of my way."

"It's _her_ , isn't it?" Zeldris hissed, and Estarossa felt a twinge in the back of his neck. "You are going back for that wretched princess, aren't you?"

With a snarl, Estarossa sent a wave of power at his brother with one swipe of his arm. Zeldris sidestepped it easily, but the distraction was enough to allow him to step away. However, Estarossa halted when he heard him call, "Careful, brother. You shouldn't turn your back on me so easily."

Estarossa took a moment to calm himself, squeezing his hands into fists, before turning slowly around. Zeldris smirked at him with a half-smile. His arms relaxed as one hand rested easily on the hilt of his sword. "Now," said Zeldris. "You will return with me to Camelot. We'll gather the others that are left and make an assault, together, on the castle." He gave a harsh laugh and said, "I'm sure you'll find your princess there. Unless I find her first, of course."

Estarossa grit his teeth, but Zeldris continued, "You should be thanking me, brother. That little witch is the same one that turned our brother away from us during the Holy War. Had you even put that together yet? She put a spell on him then, just like she's put a spell on you now. I will be honored to relieve you of your entrapment."

His words struck Estarossa hard. He had not considered the possibility that Elizabeth was the same girl from back then. He had only caught a glimpse of her, once… but she was a Druid, and you could never tell what sort of deception they were capable of with their magic. It was more than possible that this was the same girl… but that did not matter. "You will not touch her," he said evenly.

"I see." The smile was gone from Zeldris' face, replaced instead by a look of cruelty, the same one he always got when he was about to take great pleasure in destruction. "Her spell is woven quite deeply. I'll be sure to cut out her heart, then, to be sure all traces are gone."

A warning flared inside of Estarossa. "I said—"

"It's a pity," Zeldris interrupted, cutting him off with a wave of his hand, "that you had to kill Meliodas when you did. I certainly would have enjoyed having him watch as I kill her. Nothing quite compares to the agony of learning your mate has been destroyed."

They stared at each other for a long moment, Zeldris challenging him to argue. But then Estarossa threw his head back and laughed. It was all so obvious to him now! "You are a fool, Zeldris," he grinned.

The demon looked at him in fury. "How dare you," he said, his voice flat and emotionless, despite the anger that flashed across his face. "You've been doing nothing for weeks except to watch that girl, toy with her. And for what? Meliodas is dead. You killed him, remember?" Estarossa swallowed for a moment, which did not go unnoticed. A ghost of a smile passed over his mouth and Zeldris continued, "So there really isn't any point in keeping her alive, is there? She's no use to us, except for her blood. Which I will be happy to drain as we release the rest of our clan."

But Estarossa only chuckled. "You don't care about releasing the demons," he responded. "If you did, you would have slit her throat ages ago. You aren't going to release the king, because _you_ want to rule this place, although I don't know why." Zeldris' hand flew to his sword again, but Estarossa raised a palm in warning. "Careful, brother. You shouldn't raise your hand in anger towards me."

His hand shook as he gripped the hilt, but Zeldris did not draw his weapon. "So why are _you_ so interested in the girl? Do you want Elizabeth for yourself?" Estarossa continued. "You had your own vampire girl once, didn't you? What was her name?"

Zeldris practically quivered as the emotion rolled through him, and Estarossa smiled easily. "Well, it doesn't matter. She's gone now, by the looks of Edinburgh. Funny thing that. You were supposed to destroy the place, back before the war; and yet the destruction looked… rather recent. Within the last few decades, at least. Very curious." Estarossa stepped towards his younger brother, his arms folded but relaxed against his chest. "So are you jealous, then? If you can't have your love, then neither can I?"

Zeldris drew his sword in a flash, but in the next second he was flattened on his back, his weapon falling from his hand with a thud. Seven daggers hovered over his chest, and furiously he snapped his head towards Estarossa. "Release me!" he shouted.

Estarossa crouched down next to his brother, resting his arms on his knees. "I warned you about that temper," said the demon. He gave his brother a sad smile, his tone and face easy, conversational. "Now, I will release you from my commandment, but not yet. I wanted to show you first what would happen if you crossed me." One of the daggers moved forward, slicing into Zeldris' skin, and he made a strangled noise as it buried itself into one of his hearts. "I will kill you," he continued, almost cheerily. "Elizabeth is mine now. I don't care what happened with your bitch, or with Meliodas, or what you _think_ should happen next."

Another dagger pressed forward, pushing into the second heart. Zeldris struggled in vain, trying to push himself to stand, but he remained pinned to the ground. "Not yet," Estarossa murmured. "Not until you understand that I will have that princess. She loves me, and I am going to take her for mine once and for all. If you or any of the others get in my way—" and here another dagger pressed forward, sliding into his brother's torso and piercing the third heart, "—then I will end you."

Then Estarossa stood, his hands on his hips as he looked down at his brother. Zeldris gave a feral sounding scream, his hands clenching and unclenching fruitlessly. Estarossa raised a hand and the seven daggers lifted up and disappeared, and the three places where Zeldris had been stabbed began to bleed profusely. "I will see you around, brother," Estarossa said. His magic swirled out, and he lifted off the ground, flying back towards Lioness.

.o0o.

Estarossa watched as Elizabeth quickly made her way through a small field. He admired the graceful way her body moved as she picked a careful path in the growing dusk of the evening. The sun was low in the sky, which bathed everything in shades of blue and purple, and he watched, curious to where she was heading. He was going to take her tonight, finally. But first he simply watched in amusement.

It had been easy to find her after his conversation with Zeldris. The giant green pig that had served as their transportation had been badly injured, and Elizabeth had spent most of her day working to heal the creature. Then he watched over her as the two searched for the other, smaller pig that was their constant companion. He wondered what had happened to them to be separated, but in the end it didn't matter. He waited for the right time to snatch Elizabeth away, not wanting to get into an unnecessary confrontation of his own. Putting Zeldris in his place had taken the last bit of power he had possessed after his loss to Escanor, and he hated to risk having to deplete himself further if another Holy Knight had the misfortune of showing up. Furthermore, he knew that the other Ten Commandments were nearby: Derrierie and Monspiet, and Fraudrin and Grayroad, although it was difficult to get a pinpoint on their locations. He assumed it was because of his diminished strength, but if one of them happened on the princess in the meantime, he wanted enough reserve to step in.

In the end, however, Elizabeth had found her pig, and then headed back in the direction of the castle. Estarossa maintained his distance, deciding to wait until the cover of dark to step in and take her. But then the girl went off on her own, as if she was giving him the opportunity herself, as if she was asking for him to come and find her.

His chest constricted and his palms itched at the idea of finally getting his hands on her, of finally possessing her for good. He knew that his business with Zeldris was not over; his brother could hold a grudge like none other. Estarossa was certain that he would try some sort of payback for his behavior today, but he did not care. He had once wanted to destroy Elizabeth, and then wanted to turn her against him; but now that she had healed him, and revealed her own feelings for him, all he wanted was to make her his own.

He had a vision of her turning towards him as he spoke her name, and imagined the look of surprise in her eyes. Her hair would fall over her shoulder, the bangs across her forehead as always, a light pink hue to her delicate cheek. He wondered if a smile would touch her features? Or would she be afraid at first? Estarossa wouldn't blame her if she was; after all, he had stalked her, had hurt her in her dreams, had taken her body as she slept. But that first time, in the maze, she had looked at him with a mix of curiosity and attraction in the beginning. There was something there, something between them that even Elizabeth had not been able to deny. Then in the castle, when she was so upset, she had not sent him away. She had lashed out at him, but Estarossa was certain it was just from the shock and the fear from Meliodas' death. He was certain she wanted him.

He knew it to be true because she had succumbed in the end. She had kissed him and caressed him and opened herself to his own hands and mouth and body without any hesitation. Her dismissal afterwards was a mistake, he was sure of it. After all, why else would she have accepted his presence in the tavern? Why else would she have given herself so willingly to him? Even in the weeks after, she had not asked for help, not told a soul he was visiting her dreams. When he had taken her again, she had not bothered to fight him or even cry out for help. The tears she had shed were from her surrender to him.

Estarossa almost regretted the way he had tortured her in those weeks, but it was such a delight to watch her fall apart in those days. Besides, if he hadn't stripped her of her attachment to Meliodas, then it would have been impossible to enamor her of himself. He smiled to himself as he kept pace behind Elizabeth, the anticipation of holding her again building rapidly now that she was within his sight. Yes, he might be met with fear at first, even resistance; but in the end, he would win.

The light continued to fade as she disappeared over the top of a little hill, and Estarossa stepped out to follow. His curiosity grew as he walked behind her, feeling something odd in the air. He cursed Escanor again, annoyed that his powers were so weak he could not even do this much.

But then, when he heard Elizabeth's voice, and another answer in return, he took off at a sprint. He crested the hill and slid into the shadows, peering down in utter shock. There, just yards away, was the remains of the tavern that had belonged to his brother. And next to it, happily chatting in front of a fire, was Meliodas himself.

The shock hit him like a blow, his eyes widening as it melted into pure disbelief. Meliodas was dead. He was _sure_ of it. There was no way—absolutely _none_ —that he would have survived having his hearts destroyed. He had killed Meliodas himself, with his own hands. He had looked into his eyes and saw the life drain away, had felt his heartbeat and breathing weaken under his hands. He was dead. _He was dead_.

Yet there he was, back from the dead. Meliodas, alive and well and cooking something and smiling at his princess.

Estarossa blinked several times, shaking his head to try to clear his vision. Was this a dream? Was he hallucinating? The smell of the fire and whatever Meliodas was cooking wafted over, telling him that what he was seeing was very, very real. He listened as her sweet voice spoke, the blood draining from his face as she sat beside him. He trembled at the sound of Meliodas' laughter, the sight of her charming smile.

A dangerous fury began to swell, nearly suffocating him with rage. He took a trembling step forward. This was a mistake, it had to be. Estarossa choked as he watched Elizabeth's face turn from delight to concern, the same face that had twisted in pleasure underneath _him_. He watched her arms go around Meliodas, pulling him against her, just as her arms had clung to _him_ so desperately, pressing him on her and inside her.

Then, incredibly, Meliodas was crying. The most fearsome demon in existence cried as his Elizabeth cradled him against her chest. The shock of seeing this snapped him out of his amazement, and the betrayal of them both set his blood to fire. His own brother, whom he had admired and loved, taking comfort from _his_ mate, from _his_ love. He didn't care if she had loved him before, if their love really did go back three thousand years. Elizabeth had given herself to _him_. She belonged to _him_ now.

Estarossa retreated back into the shadows. Everything within him screamed to move, to fight, to rip Meliodas to shreds, even if it meant his own death. But Estarossa was aware of his weakened state, and knew he could not hope to win. He would have done anything to keep Elizabeth, and Estarossa knew that Meliodas would do the same, if he allowed his jealousy to get the better of him now.

He turned away as she whispered to Meliodas, "I'll never leave your side."

Silently, Estarossa stalked away. Meliodas had betrayed him. Elizabeth had betrayed him. They had stolen the revenge he had wanted so badly, and destroyed the love between him and the princess. So the game would continue, and this time Estarossa would make sure he won.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N:** It's been nearly a year, but this story is back. This is the longest update I've ever had to wait for, but I had promised once Estarossa appeared in the manga again, I would continue. Even though he is not seen, we now know his fate, and I felt comfortable enough to continue on. Publishing this, however, is causing me a fair amount of nervousness. I hope that after all this time I managed to capture the same feeling from the first chapters.

I also want to note that I realize there are some slight AU-ish things in the story, now that we've had a year of development about the Commandments, the clans, and how things work. However, in the spirit of consistency I am continuing with the implied knowledge I worked with before, and will strive to veer the story as closely aligned with canon as I can.

If you are coming back to continue reading, my deepest thanks for your patience and for staying with this fic.

If this is the first time you are reading, welcome.

And as always, I appreciate feedback, both good and bad. Please enjoy.

* * *

Estarossa closed his eyes, his mouth scraping down the white flesh of her neck. He had made easy work of the short skirt and tight blouse she wore when he found her, enjoying the feel of the bit of fabric that covered her leg as she wrapped it tightly around his waist. Her hands were moving under his shirt, the fingertips dancing along the ridges of his muscled torso, and he bit into her softly as he groaned.

For days he had followed Elizabeth, watching, waiting for the right time. For a time when _he_ was not around. It still stunned him to see his brother alive. _How_ did it happen? He had purposefully, carefully sent each of his blades into each of his hearts. It was a complete death. There was _no returning from such a death._

Yet there Meliodas was, mocking him, laughing and plotting and enjoying himself in the newly built bar. He nicked the soft skin under his mouth as the anger rose inside of him, tugging on the flesh as a way to release the building emotion. When she sucked in a sharp breath of pain, he moved his mouth to cover hers and swallow any scream that would escape.

Her body was pressed against the wall of the tavern, and he began grinding his hips against hers. She was naked except for the scraps of material on her limbs, excited and trembling under his touch. The long hair fell over her shoulders as she kissed him back, and she angled her body upwards to press the large breasts he loved so much against him. He loved _every_ part of her: the impossibly tiny waist, the rounded hips, the bright blue eyes that had captured him. Her skin and her hair and the curve of her earlobe. The soft color of her lips and the shiver she gave when his hand brushed between her legs.

Estarossa could understand it now, finally, as he kissed the girl. He could finally understand how Meliodas had abandoned him all those years ago. If _he_ had come across the goddess first—and there was _no_ doubt in his mind that Princess Elizabeth of Liones was indeed the goddess who had set all these events in motion—then he would have been just as lost. What does a kingdom and a race and an oath have to compare to the loveliness of this woman?

Her thighs opened as he pressed between them, and once more he was enveloped in the sensation of being inside her body. It was hot and tight and he relished the moans that escaped her with each thrust; pleasure took hold of him and drove his movements from deep within his core. This is what he had been wanting for the weeks since he had invaded her dream and took her in her bed. His hand curled into the long silver hair and tightened, drawing a gasp from her; but the arms around him squeezed, pulling him closer.

"More… more…" she moaned. Her hips pumped against him, and Estarossa slid his other hand to her breast, giving her a rough squeeze. He leaned forward and braced his forearm against the wall, his fist still wrapped into her hair, to steel against his harsh movements. Her mouth opened against the hollow of his throat, panting desperately against him. Then, suddenly, he felt her body seize and her nails dig into his shoulder. The gasp she made as she shook against him signalled her release, and Estarossa slammed his body inside of her, pinning her to the wall with his hips. His own breath came out in quick, shallow huffs as he felt her shake and watched the pleasure wash over her face.

But then, anger bubbled up inside his veins once more. She had used him, _how dare she use him_ , the way she had used his brother then and now. She had taken Meliodas' freedom and his life, and now she was determined to take his as well? _She had used them both._ Such an act could not be forgiven. This girl was more villain than goddess, more demon than angel.

Estarossa yanked his arm away from the wall, and a large chunk of her hair ripped out of her head. The girl screamed in pain, the nails digging into him now breaking his skin. The hand squeezing her breast rose to cover her wailing mouth, and he held her there, still buried inside of her body, the princess thrashing against his grip.

He turned his face and looked down at his hand… and his eyes went wide. The bloody locks of hair he held were not the silver of the princess, but a light brown. His eyes blinked into focus and he realized he was pressing her not against the smooth, honey-colored wood of the Boar Hat, but against a stone building he did not recognize; they were not standing in the late afternoon sun, under the shadow of the balcony, but rather a darkened alley. Estarossa swung back to look down at the girl. She shook violently behind the weight of his hands, her eyes dazed with pain and fear. But those eyes were not blue; they were a dark hazel, and void of the shimmer he had come to know in them.

 _This was not Elizabeth_.

He dropped the hair on the ground and grabbed her by the arm, twisting hard. Another scream came from behind his hand as he felt something snap, and slowly he moved to slide out of her body. His own was growing softer now that he had realized his mistake, and the calm detachment that he embodied returned. Without a word he released his grip, and the girl slumped to the ground with a sharp wail.

"Please," she sobbed, "please… please…"

Her plea was cut short when he stepped on her stomach, the ribcage below her skin cracking under his boot. She wheezed out what she could of a scream, but then with a swipe of his fingers a bright white orb rose out of her mouth and into the air. Estarossa snatched it easily and began to munch on it like an apple, watching with a bored amusement as the light faded from her eyes and her body went limp.

There was a warmth inside of him once he had swallowed the last of the soul. It was invigorating, like a splash of cold water on a hot day, and after wiping off the blood on his boot on the cobblestone he began to walk back towards Castle Camelot.

.o0o.

Zeldris was none too pleased when he arrived. "You dare to come here!" he roared, his sword drawn in a flash, a burst of power hurtling towards him. Estarossa deflected the attack, his own weapon out and held up when the purgatory fire dissipated. The two demons stared at one another as the air around them settled.

"Zeldris," Estarossa said calmly. "Please watch your tone."

"You _traitor_ ," hissed the demon. "You left the Commandments, you left your clan, and for what? You betrayed us—"

"Really, Zeldris," sighed Estarossa. "Your speeches always bore me to _death_."

Around the demon the glow of fire began to swirl, as Zeldris readied another attack. "You _stabbed_ three of my _hearts_ ," he growled.

"And yet here you stand." Estarossa narrowed his eyes, tilting his head back to observe his brother. "Let us both forgive our grievances. I know you are angry with me for killing three of your hearts, but I did leave the majority in tact. And it was only after you had attacked me first. As I recall there were words exchanged on both sides."

"Both sides!" shouted Zeldris. The demon mark on his forehead flared outwards, covering half his face, but Estarossa only held up his hand. "Peace, brother. I do not wish for you to fall victim to my Commandment. After all, we have a common enemy."

He watched as Zeldris struggled to get his anger under control, pleased when the demon snuffed out the glowing flames with a swipe of his fist. Then he turned and talked up the steps of the dais to return to the king's place. Estarossa smirked to himself at the sight of his younger brother sitting forward on the throne. His hands gripped the arms of the great chair, his eyes dark and menacing. "Look at you in that chair," he said mildly. "It looks as if you're all grown up now."

"Jealousy does not suit you," replied Zeldris, his nose curling in disgust. "I only took what was mine. I chose power, and Camelot. You chose Meliodas' woman."

He _did_ bristle a bit at that, but kept the smooth features on his face. "Meliodas is alive," he said.

To his surprise, Zeldris nodded. "I've heard. He doesn't know when to stay dead, does he?" Estarossa watched as the corner of his brother's mouth lifted in a small smile and his fingers rubbed together in anticipation. "Doesn't matter. This time we can make him truly suffer. He won't get the gift of an easy death _this_ time."

Estarossa frowned at the tightening in his chest. The thought of seeing Meliodas die, again… his stomach curled at the idea. "Meliodas can be brought back," he said quietly.

Throwing back his head, Zeldris gave a dark laugh. "Bring him back! For what? He is useless and weak. He could have been the next king, and he left it all behind. He does not deserve to live."

"And you are that judge?" Estarossa asked, an edge to his voice. "In addition to executioner you are the jury as well?"

"I am the king's representative," Zeldris reminded him with a smile, his arms spreading out to his sides. "I am our father's regent."

Swallowing thickly, Estarossa turned away. That was a truth he did _not_ care to remember. He fumed to himself, the heat rising on his neck to hear the huffing laugh behind him. "Executioner, to regent, to king, is that it?" he asked, his voice tighter than he would have liked. "Is that the great plan?"

"And who else do you suggest?" shouted Zeldris. " _You_?"

His blood, which had been steadily boiling, now chilled inside his veins. "I am more powerful than you could ever hope to be," he answered, quietly, succinctly.

Zeldris reacted just as he suspected. "You are _nothing_! _I_ am the favored son. _I_ am the heir now that Meliodas is gone."

"But Meliodas isn't gone, is he?" Estarossa laughed. "And who do you think was behind that? Only one person in any realm would have the power to undo death." He looked up to meet Zeldris' menacing glare. "Tell me, Zeldris, would father bring _you_ back from the dead?"

He smiled coldly, watching as Zeldris once again struggled to contain himself. "You—" he bit out, his chest heaving sharply. "You have done _nothing_ to deserve your place. I have given everything. All I have done is to serve."

"And I have not?" he retorted.

"You followed Meliodas like a dog, and did nothing in the war. You failed to condemn him the way the rest of us did. You lost nothing, and so can gain nothing."

Estarossa turned slowly to face Zeldris. For a moment he could not think of what to say, this change in his brother so startling. Since when did he ever speak in such a way? Politics never seemed to interest him before, until now. And now he dared to say this? To _him_? "You are a fool, Zeldris," he said as he slowly approached the dais. "You think that this throne means anything? That your title means _anything_ here? You are the leader of the Ten Commandments, and yet—" Here he paused to look around. "Where are they? You have set the demons onto Britannia to rule it, and yet, where are your subjects?"

Zeldris grit his teeth, rising to stand, and Estarossa continued, "You've only served the demon clan to win favor and awards, not out of loyalty or duty. Your _'sacrifices'_? They are meaningless. All you did was sell yourself to our father, and all you paid was the life of some vampire whore."

Shock registered across his brother's face, and Estarossa took a step up the dais. "Yes, I know all about that business. And I know what you did. But remember, Zeldris, that was _your_ choice. So do not speak to _me_ about what you have given up, when it was so easy for you to do so."

The silence that followed his statement was heavy, suffocating, and blanketed the hall. The two demons looked at one another, their rage simmering and threatening, before either spoke. "Easy," Zeldris hissed finally. "You think that was _easy_."

"Easier than losing the one you love," growled back Estarossa. "Easier than having to kill and lose them _twice_."

Zeldris stared at him in a mixture of shock and contempt. "Are you talking about Meliodas?" The question dripped with a mocking scorn. "Or are you speaking of that little girl who loves a memory over you?"

" _What did you just say?!_ " Estarossa roared. The cold flame of anger that Estarossa had kept so carefully muted suddenly burst in a twisted movement. The truth of his words struck him deeply; the humiliation of Zeldris knowing, and knowing that _he_ knew, brought all of the days and nights of watching Elizabeth, having Elizabeth, and then losing Elizabeth again to a head.

He pulled the sword from its place at his side with one sweeping motion, intent on taking his brother's head.

But then he hit a _wall_.

The feeling in his limbs gave out, the air around him a pressing weight, and Estarossa found himself falling. His head cracked on the stone floor as the step broke his fall. All of the strength of his body flowed outwards, like pouring water from a glass. He found himself unable to move or speak, the sound of the metal in his hand clattering on the ground, a choking sound escaping him as he tried to call for aid. What was happening to him? What had Zeldris done?

The offender came into his vision, his face expressionless. "You should mind that hatred, brother," the demon said.

.o0o.

At the very least, Estarossa knew, he should be grateful that Zeldris had not ended him. Being struck by his own Commandment had left him completely vulnerable, and if he was honest, he would not have blamed his brother if he had proceeded to pierce each and every one of his hearts, until the last breath had left his body and he was sent to wherever the demons go _afterwards_. It would have made more sense than what Zeldris _did_ do, which was have his body taken to a room to wait out the end of the spell.

He supposed it was because their secrets were out, now; both brothers knew the other's sins, their weaknesses, and their desires. Their positions were now even. They could either choose to ally, or destroy one another. Estarossa was immensely glad Zeldris had chosen the former.

It was both infuriating and exhausting to lay, day after day, listening to the sounds outside of his room and his window, not being able to move or communicate. Every so often he would hear a servant come in or out, and Zeldris would visit time to time, to fill him in on the advancement of their cause and the fates of this or that. But never did he bring him information about Meliodas or Elizabeth. Or any of the Sins, for that matter—particularly the _monster_.

Until one day, Zeldris sat on the bed beside him. "No more worries, Estarossa," he said quietly, his voice sounding confident. "I've gotten our revenge on that goddess of his."

He tried to move with all his strength, but could not budge even a finger. He silently shouted in his mind, demanding to know what he had done, and luckily Zeldris obliged him anyway. "I met her, as she invaded one of my curses. It seems that the curse our father put on them is still in effect, even three thousand years later." There was a shift in the bed, and Estarossa felt his brother lean closer.

"Can you hear me?" he whispered, breath lightly feathering over his face. "Are you listening?" Estarossa gives no answer, of course, and after a moment he senses Zeldris moving back into his original position. "Do you even know about the curse, Estarossa? I know because I am connected to the king as his messenger. I suppose there is no harm in telling you, even if you could understand me."

He listened to Zeldris chuckle cruelly. "She is reincarnated and dies, after they meet and fall in love again. Then again she is reborn, but with no memories, again and again and again, driving Meliodas insane. It's probably why father sent him back; surely he has not suffered enough for his actions." Another laugh came from the demon. "She wanted her memories back, the stupid bitch. So I gave them to her. And now she will die."

If he had not been so afflicted, Estarossa would have laughed at Zeldris' vulgarity, a momentary slip from the usual disciplined demeanor, or even admire the way he had manipulated Elizabeth into sealing her own fate. But his entire consciousness was struck dumb at that moment. _Elizabeth will die_. The truth echoed inside his head, blocking out the rest of what Zeldris was saying. It pressed on him from every side, drumming into his temples with the increased beating of his hearts. _Elizabeth will die_.

Never again will he see her beauty or feel her embrace. Never again will he hear her whisper his name or sigh or moan. Never again will he find someone worthy of him, as she was worthy of Meliodas.

 _Elizabeth will die._

Zeldris left a short while later, and Estarossa pushed his powers outwards. He was incredibly weak, the curse of the Commandment trying to drag him back into himself like sharp, hot knives in his subconscious. But he continued to push and push until he broke free of the hold, flooding through Britannia, his powers searching every inch for her, and for him.

Because she couldn't die, Elizabeth would _not_ die; he would not allow it. It didn't matter what Zeldris or Meliodas or the Commandments or even their own father would say or do. Elizabeth was _his_. Despite her treachery, that one fact never changed. She was his to forgive or punish, his to love or destroy. Her death now would be one more betrayal: by Elizabeth, for leaving him; by Meliodas, for getting the chance to have her again; by Zeldris, for making this happen; by the king, for giving Meliodas the goddess he now wanted.

It was always Meliodas.

Finally, he found the tavern, still perched on top of the giant pig and heading for Camelot. Without hesitation Estarossa pushed inside, finding the Seven Deadly Sins there—the _monster_ there—but he did not care about any of them. Upstairs in the room his two loves shared he found her: beautiful, breathtaking, and asleep on the bed. The steady rise and fall of her chest told him she was alive, and Estarossa shuddered to himself in relief.

Sitting next to the bed was his older brother. The blond head was bowed, neither moving or talking, so still that at first glance he thought Meliodas was also asleep. But the two hands clasped around one of hers would tighten occasionally, signalling that he was simply sitting and waiting.

For a moment he wondered why Meliodas did not sense him there. After all, the few times he had visited Elizabeth in the Boar Hat before he had died, Meliodas had turned to scan his eyes in his direction with suspicion. Here he stood, as present as if his body was also there, but his brother did not even raise his eyes. Estarossa begrudgingly decided he must be too lost in his grief to notice; for surely, if Meliodas knew he was there, he would be acknowledged.

Slipping into Elizabeth's mind was as easy and familiar as always. But instead of the field where they always met, it was just emptiness. Elizabeth stood alone, dressed in a flowing robe, and his chest tightened at the sight. She was every bit the radiant goddess that she had once been, thousands of years before. Again he thought if it had been _him_ to lay eyes on her, and not Meliodas, how easy it would have been to give everything up.

But this was his chance, and more important than ever that he get this right. So cautiously he stepped forward. Elizabeth turned at the sound of her footsteps and her eyes went wide. "Who are you?" she asked in surprise, but not fear.

"You don't remember me?" He smiled warmly, reaching out a hand. "Elizabeth, try to remember. I'm here to help you."

"You know my name?" The girl stepped forward but did not take his offered hand. "Are we friends?"

"More than friends," he grinned. His eyes dragged up and down her form, and without warning the black mark over his eye flared.

"You're a demon!" she exclaimed, her voice high and tight in alarm. Elizabeth stumbled backwards, tripping on the long robes, and Estarossa quickly grabbed her elbow to steady her.

"It's okay," he assured her. "You can trust me. We are together."

She frowned as she searched his face. "Together?"

Estarossa nodded, tugging her a bit closer. As she turned his words over in her mind, he took the opportunity to once again memorize her features, the feel of her skin, the sound of her breathing, all of her as natural and familiar as his own. "My mother said," began Elizabeth quietly, "that demons are evil, and bring misery and pain to the world. But there was… there was one…" Her eyes traveled up to meet his, the color just as deep as he remembered. "Are you the one I remember? Are you the one I'm looking for?"

"Yes," he breathed. Elizabeth smiled at him then, sagging a bit in relief.

But then a voice intruded on their reunion, as if far away, echoing as though it came from across a field. _"Elizabeth, please wake up. I need you."_

Instantly he knew the voice, and his fingertips dug slightly into where he still held Elizabeth's elbow. "Did you hear that?" she whispered.

"No," he answered. "Elizabeth, I need you to listen to me. There are people who want to take you away from me."

"Take me away? From you?" She shook her head with a gasp. "Why would they do that?"

Estarossa dipped his head a bit to speak softer, as if sharing a secret. "They do not believe a demon and a goddess can love. They wish to kill us both."

"A demon… and a goddess…" Her voice trailed off before her eyes opened slightly, sparking with a memory. "That's right! You are a demon, and I am—"

She cut off abruptly when she looked behind her shoulder. "Where are my wings?" she asked with a shaking voice.

"There are monsters out there, Elizabeth," he said. His fingers grazed her jaw, turning her face back to his. "They will take everything from us. My brothers, my father, want to take everything from us. Take _you_ from _me_."

Elizabeth nodded. "There was one, he was here. He said I was hurting him, but I didn't understand. It felt wrong, he felt—"

" _Elizabeth? Can you hear me? Can you open your eyes?"_

It was a female voice this time, and Estarossa grit his teeth in frustration. The more people that came to check on her, the more likely he was to be discovered. "Don't listen to them, Elizabeth," he warned her harshly, but she was tugging from his grip.

"I can hear you!" she called. "Where do I go? What do I do?"

"Elizabeth, _listen to me_." He moved to stand in front of her, taking firm hold of her upper arms and forcing her to look at him. "They are lying. They want us apart."

"I just wish I could… I could remember…" Elizabeth blinked, her lip trembling a bit. "It's all so… so confused…"

His lips brushed her forehead, and he felt her shoulders stiffen. "I can help you," he murmured soothingly. "Do you remember the field where we met?"

Around them, grass began to sprout, growing as high as their knees. Above their heads a light peeked through clouds, the sky a mix of blue and gray. He was wearing the armor, his hair dancing gently in the breeze, and Elizabeth made a small noise. She looked down to see the black clothing she wore in the dream, the sleeves covering her arms, and she said, "I was looking for someone."

Estarossa smiled and dragged his lips over her temple, but then Elizabeth cried out, "I was looking for Meliodas! I remember! I was looking for him because—"

He could feel the change in her instantly. Slowly he pulled back to find her eyes cold, her jaw set, and glaring at him with hostility. "You're Estarossa."

The demon pursed his lips together, and she went on, "I remember. I remember you, I remember what we did, I remember what _you_ did to _me_. And I told you, _you're not welcome here_."

Hatred came roaring back inside of him like a burning poison, and for a moment he had one thought: _You should mind that hatred, brother_. Then his world was filled with light and heat and the most unbearable purity he had ever known, and he found himself on the floor of the bedroom, his skin and lungs on absolute fire.

Choking he scrambled to stand, just in time to see Elizabeth heading out the door, nearly carrying a small girl in her arms. He called her name, but of course she could not hear him; he was still just a manifestation of his own power, and not flesh and blood.

With a roar he banged his fist on the ground. He had been rejected, _again_ , not only sent away from her side, but sent away with contempt. Jealousy throbbed deep within him, aching, seething, forcing him to tear at the wood floor. His thirst for revenge also came flooding back as the images of all he had known cycled in his vision.

The bright spark in Elizabeth's eye when she looked at him, giving herself to him, he _knew_ she did, it was impossible to think otherwise. Her dreams that he touched, her voice, her warm hands.

Meliodas, fighting the demons, fighting for _her_ , fighting for the Elizabeth he wanted to use and wanted to have. The destruction he brought to them, the bloody and broken body, the realization that Meliodas had done all of this on purpose. The seven swords piercing his body, cold, dead, in the dirt.

Elizabeth's tears, her screams and accusations, her weeping when he showed her the truth. The feel of her lips and the way her arms and legs had pulled him closer, not away. Finding release inside of her as his brother lay dead in another room. Finding his purpose again.

The sight of Meliodas, his brother and captain and prince, his role model, his savior, his very meaning for everything he had ever done, falling into Elizabeth's arms and crying.

He wanted them dead. Both of them, dead, beyond curses or spells or love or the reach of his father, who had set them all on this path to inevitable destruction. He would see them all dead.

.o0o.

But this was not meant to be.

The Elizabeth and Meliodas who returned to the Boar Hat hours later was not the Elizabeth and Meliodas who had left.

Elizabeth was taller, somehow. She had an air of authority that went beyond the princess she had been raised to be, her power and grace radiating from her in a way it had never done before. The others looked to her to speak, instead of to shield. She gave commands, not requests. She was unafraid.

Meliodas, too was changed. So changed, in fact, that when Estarossa first spotted him, there was a feeling inside of him that was so frightening in its familiarity that he nearly fled, back to the safety of Camelot. It was a mixture of true fear, true horror, true awe. It was the feeling he had always had when his brother had been leader of the Ten Commandments.

At once Estarossa was overcome: his brother, Meliodas restored as he once knew him! The one who had led them, the one he looked up to and admired. The one he wanted to _be_. The one he loved more than anything. This was his brother, returned to him; not just from the dead, but from the lie he had been living for thousands of years. Meliodas was returned from his curse and from the arms of the goddess. Meliodas was really, truly here, and Estarossa had a chance.

The mark of their family and power and clan blazed like an ink stain over his head. The battered body no longer wore the armor of Liones, but the clawing darkness many of the demon soldiers used when physically fighting. Estarossa was glad he was unconscious, because he thought if he had to see those dark eyes again—if those eyes fell on _him_ —he might go mad.

Once, Meliodas did awaken. As he threw himself upright, Estarossa jolted as well, unwittingly reaching to check his weapon as he awaited orders, knowing to falter or hesitate would mean disaster. But the dark witch tossed a spell at him, sending him back into unconsciousness.

As they argued what to do, Estarossa approached. He had never tried his powers on Meliodas; who would want to risk such a thing? Instantly he pressed his way inside his mind. It wasn't easy to navigate the swirling darkness, but if anyone could do it, it was he. After all, no one knew the demon as well as he did. No one was closer to Meliodas than Estarossa was.

Inside the menacing emotion, the ambition, the desires and hubris and sadism, Estarossa found him. The demon was still, only his eyes moving, studying the darkness. It unnerved him to see Meliodas in this way; when his brother was quiet and motionless, he was at his most dangerous.

Then the black eyes he feared landed on him, and at once Estarossa bowed. "Brother," he said, his voice tight with emotion. "At last I have found you."

There was a pause that felt like eternity, and then Meliodas said, "Estarossa." He shuddered to hear his name spoken, the sound both terrible and honored.

Estarossa looked up, meeting the demon's eyes. "Where are we," he demanded.

"You are trapped," he explained. "You have fallen under the curse of a goddess."

"A goddess," echoed Meliodas through clenched teeth. "Only treachery could make such a thing possible."

"She has held you captive for a long time," he went on. "You have managed to come back to yourself, so she put you to sleep. I am here to help you."

The corners of his mouth turned up a bit into a menacing smile. "Where is this goddess?"

Estarossa smiled back. "She is here. When you open your eyes, you will see her. But you must strike immediately, or she will curse you again."

A harsh laugh came from the demon, and Estarossa felt a thrill of excited anticipation. "No goddess will live in my presence," Meliodas swore.

He nodded, rising to stand. Meliodas will kill Elizabeth, breaking her hold on him, and return to his rightful place in their clan. Once more the greatest and most feared demon alive will be in command, and in doing so Estarossa knew he would once more serve under him and with him, just as he always had. He would pay back Zeldris for speaking against him by usurping him as the king's favored son.

And when Elizabeth reincarnated, Estarossa would be there, waiting.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N:** This fic is back! Thanks for everyone who continues to read and be patient through my bi-annual updates. Spoilers through chapter 261. Please enjoy!

* * *

Estarossa walked through a field of tall grass, one that was more familiar than any other place real or imagined in Britannia. His armor made a dull clanking noise as he walked, the sky a muted green with a strange afternoon light.

Immediately he knew none of this was right. In Elizabeth's dream, the sky was a pale yellow, and it was dawn, not afternoon. The grass only reached his knees, not brushing on his hips the way it did now. The wind would move with every breath he took, bending to every thought; but now he could not anticipate the gusts of wind that blew by, the breezes too warm, the air too still.

He looked around for Elizabeth. She should be here by now, dressed in the black clothing that hugged her body like a glove, the fabric on her legs pulled up to her thighs. Her silver hair would fall down her back in the way he knew so well, her right eye hidden by bangs that would drift in the breeze, the blue bead that dangled from her left ear swaying gently.

Yet when he caught sight of her, he gasped. Instead of the sultry black, she was in a white blouse with dark pants, both eyes visible beneath short bangs when she turned and smiled at him. "Estarossa!" called the goddess cheerily, and he felt his heart leap.

Quickly she hurried over, her huge wings stretching out on either side. "Are you all right?" she asked as she approached. The demon's mouth went dry the closer she drew to him. Then, the most remarkable thing: instead of looking _up_ at him, she looked _down_.

It was impossible, seeing that he was more than a foot taller than her. Yet Estarossa found himself gazing up at the woman he loved, as she smiled at him—smiled!—her eyelashes fanning on her cheeks as she blinked at him. "Did you have another fight with your big brother?" Elizabeth chuckled.

With a choking gasp he sat up. The field and the goddess were gone, replaced by white stone and a pool of scented water. Droplets ran down his face and hair as Estarossa lifted a hand curiously to inspect. His mind had returned to his body, the hate inside of him finally tempered by time and healing. He was free of his commandment, finally, the dream draining from his mind as if it had never happened.

* * *

The moment Zeldris was out of sight, Estarossa turned and headed back towards Camelot. Collecting the decree from Galand was going to have to wait. He needed to see Elizabeth, and he needed to see her _now._

When he had left Meliodas' mind back in the Boar Hat, the demon had seemed ready to kill anyone and everyone. Estarossa had retreated back to himself, weakened by the venture outside of his body but pleased with the way things were progressing. At this rate, he would have both Elizabeth _and_ Meliodas—and then he could strike and take his revenge. He was so pleased, in fact, that the hatred that had been swirling inside of him at all of them lifted, allowing him to sit up, gasping for air, the feeling slowly coming back into his limbs.

But the Meliodas who had arrived in Camelot was _different_. He was cold and hard and fought without thought of anything but getting what he wanted. Estarossa had looked in shock at Elizabeth when he entered… but even more shocking, she denied knowing him.

Estarossa had felt his power surging in that moment, as the princess dared to look at him with such blatant disregard. The princess he had met, that he had visited in her dreams, that he had made love to and brought to ecstasy and saved from her grief, _dared_ to deny him. As if he was nothing, as if their relationship had no meaning! Of course, with _him_ there, Estarossa could almost not blame her; but didn't Elizabeth believe he would protect her? Once more she was choosing Meliodas over him, and there was a second where he nearly fell to his commandment again.

Meliodas would not give her up, even when he offered to step away from his claim to their father's throne. Yet he was determined to have her. He _needed_ to have her. Estarossa tried to find an opportunity to snatch the girl away, planning to take off the second she was in his arms. Yet his brother was just as fast and cunning as always. If Estarossa was not so focused on Elizabeth, he might have admired him.

As he watched her while his two brothers argued, he thought of the plans he used to have, all those weeks ago after they met in the ruins of Edinburgh. All of the ideas he had had were now gone, because of _her_. It was time for a new plan of revenge.

The streets of Camelot were filled with the mindless citizens left by Zeldris. They naturally shied away from him, making it easy to move among them in the dark. He pushed his senses outward, trying to pinpoint where his adversaries were. Zeldris was gone, but Meliodas and Elizabeth remained in the castle, along with Chandler and Cusack, those cursed demons. They had always looked down on him, always treated him differently, he remembered now—although he never knew why. The stares of the others and the whispers behind him of his killing nature were easily brushed away and forgotten. But a tutor was one more thing Meliodas had that he did not; one more thing that set him apart, and Estarossa hated it.

He would enjoy their expressions when he killed both Meliodas _and_ Zeldris.

Then, a sudden burst of energy called his attention. It came from the castle, the magic unmistakable: _goddesses_. His instincts snarled inside of him, their disgusting light making his blood churn at the thought of one being nearby. Goddesses were the true enemy, to be destroyed above all.

But this energy called out to his own heart, taking his next breath away. The feeling that meant _Elizabeth_ was so clear, so familiar, that he was rushing towards it before he could even stop to consider. So many conflicting emotions rolled through him as he flew down one street after another in pursuit: he wanted to hold her, to crush her, to kiss her, to watch her bleed and watch her cry and hear her moan in fear and bliss. There would be no distinction between pain and pleasure, for them it would be one and the same.

Suddenly, around the next corner, she appeared. Her footsteps stopped as she pulled up short, and for a long moment they stared at one another, a new meeting he had never dreamed to have. He pictured her underneath him again, her body writhing against his, and he rushed forward.

"No!" There was a burning sensation as she tried to deflect him, but then she was in his arms, and Estarossa crushed his mouth against hers. Elizabeth gave a noise that sent sparks down his neck, his hands gripping her hair and her hip to hold her tightly against him. There would be no escaping this time.

The demon lifted her, moving until she was trapped against a wall. Estarossa was assaulted by his own senses, the girl-turned-goddess in his arms overwhelming him. Was that a sigh or a moan from her mouth? Was she leaning towards him or away? We're her fingers fighting or drawing him closer? He could not tell, did not want to tell, because none of it mattered.

All that mattered was the sweet taste of her neck and the deep rose of the mark now raising against her skin. All that mattered was the silk of her hair and the twitch of her thigh and the shudder inside her chest. All that mattered was the heat of her lips on his cheek and the way her skin pebbled around her nipple as he slid his hand under her shirt. All that mattered was her touch on his shoulder, her thighs opening, her hips grinding against his, the catch of her breath just a second before they kissed. All that mattered was Elizabeth in his arms again.

She was moving against him, and Estarossa realized his eyes were closed.

"No! No, no, no…"

Was that his voice, or hers? Maybe both, and he squeezed her body, pushing her skirt up. The fabric that covered her left leg was distracting him in a wonderful way. "Elizabeth," he groaned. His hips pressed forward, but it wasn't enough, it was _never enough_.

"Please, you're hurting me…"

Yes, it hurt, but didn't it always hurt? The pleasure of it all _was_ the pain. Had always been, since he was young, since he watched with wide eyes as the light left those of his father's victims, as his brother looked at him with a disinterest that was worse than disgust.

His hands clenched, not hearing the cry that came from somewhere nearby. _You're hurting me, you're hurting me_ , those words echoed in his head. His body was pulsing, _throbbing_ , the ache deep with his longing. Estarossa _wanted_ , wasn't that his sin, pride and lust and greed and envy and gluttony and sloth, all rolled into one, all leading to his ultimate sin, his wrath? The hatred that filled every cell in his body, that wove his skin together and kept his hearts beating and fired along his nerve endings, the hatred that marked his brow and kept his sword from rusting with blood. His hatred gave him strength, the hatred from _wanting_ , always wanting what he could never have.

 _You're hurting me._ His eyes were closed tightly, and he clenched his teeth. Something was tearing at him, and Estarossa was glad. The pain meant he was getting somewhere. The pain meant he was achieving something. He had watched so many times as looks of disappointment and confusion were sent his way, that the change to fear was better than he could have ever imagined. It didn't matter how much it hurt, because the pain was _his_. It belonged to him, and him alone.

"Please." The word was whispered in his ear, dragging him back from his own mind. "Please stop this."

Estarossa blinked his eyes open. He was still pressed against Elizabeth, her back against the wall of an empty building in Camelot. How long had they been here? Minutes, days? He hated losing time, and as he eased backwards he noted the wide, shining eyes, both uncovered with her hair mussed and wild. The symbol of the goddess clan was clear in both, sending a mix of confused emotion through him until they melted back into the dark blue pools he knew well.

"Estarossa," she said, and he shivered. "Let me go."

He looked down to see his body between her legs, his clothes straining in an undeniable way against her stomach. One of his hands gripped her thigh, the other was beneath her shirt, and he slowly caressed her skin. "You're here with me," he said.

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. I don't want—"

"You're here with _me_." Instead of moving away, his hands slid around her back, and he pressed forward, nuzzling against her ear. "You came back to me. I knew you would."

"Let me go," she hissed, her hands pushing on his arms. "I didn't come back to you."

He kissed her earlobe. "No?" he teased. The deluge of emotion was waning, allowing him to return to the cold reality that made it easier to think. "I left you with my brother in the castle, and yet you are here."

Elizabeth turned her face away, and he pressed his nose into her hair. "I left," she whispered.

"Left?" His lips curled into a smile. "You left him?"

"He… he isn't himself." Her fingers curled, just a bit, and Estarossa shifted against her. "He says that he…"

The demon kissed her temple. "He doesn't love you anymore, does he?"

She stiffened at that, and Estarossa knew he struck a nerve. "I'm going to save him."

"Save him?" chuckled Estarossa. He kissed the side of her head. "He cannot be saved."

"That's not true," she replied, her voice firmer. "I did it once, I can do it again."

That gave him pause. Slowly he eased back, enough to look at her face but not give her a chance to wiggle free. "Why?" he demanded.

Elizabeth looked at him in surprise, but Estarossa scowled. "Why? Why save him?"

Her bottom lip trembled, and his eyes focused on the swollen flesh. "I love him."

"Love." He grabbed her by the arms then, bracing his weight against her and the wall. "I know about _love_ , Elizabeth. And it is a lie. It is nothing."

"You don't know anything about love."

"I am the _Commandment_ of Love!" he snapped. "My decree is to love others. And when their hatred is revealed—and hatred is _always_ revealed—they are nothing before me."

Estarossa drew himself up, looking down on her in contempt. A memory nagged at his mind, making his brows draw down slightly. "Do not tell me about love," he went on, deciding to ignore the feeling for now.

"You don't know anything about him. Or us." Her face was set in defiance. "Our love has lasted three thousand years."

Laughter bubbled up at her ridiculous words. "Your love has been _dying_ for three thousand years. I _killed_ your love." He leaned down and licked her cheek. "Don't you remember, Elizabeth? Don't you remember how i pushed those swords into his hearts? Don't you remember how you cried, how we both cried in your room in the castle?"

"You may have killed Meliodas, but you didn't—"

"And then later? Remember, Elizabeth?" He was kissing her jaw, and Elizabeth stood perfectly still. "You loved me then, didn't you? You saved me in the field as I was burnt from battle. You gave me your body even though you had never given it to _him_. Isn't that love?"

Estarossa watched in fascination as a tear fell from her eye. "You used me."

"You let me." He licked her skin again.

Elizabeth swallowed thickly before nodding. "I did," she admitted. "I was scared and alone and I thought… I needed someone…" She turned and gazed at him, her breath brushing against his lips. "It was a mistake," she whispered.

But Estarossa only smiled. "It was love, Elizabeth."

"I couldn't… even if…" Her eyes fluttered closed as she shivered. "You hurt me, and lied to me. You used me. I'll never forgive you for that."

"Lied?" His voice dropped in tone, his hands squeezing her arms. "I never lied, Elizabeth." She refused to look at him, tears falling slowing down her flushed cheeks, and he felt the familiar anger start to swirl. "Tell me, did he lie to you? Did he tell you who he was, was he honest about being a demon? And not just _any_ demon, he was the prince and heir and the head of the Ten Commandments." He shook her slightly, and Elizabeth gasped as she looked at him. "Did he _tell you that_?"

"No—"

"Did he not use you? What was he doing with you then? What does the most powerful being in Britannia need with a useless princess? What did the heir to the demon realm need from a _goddess_? Hm?" Elizabeth choked on a sob, and he shook her again. "Think, Elizabeth, _think_ again. Did he use you?"

"Why are you doing this?" Elizabeth shouted. Trying to wrench from his grasp, her fingers dug into his shoulders. "Let me go!"

"You're mine," he growled, and then kissed her again.

This time, his mouth was searing, taking, swallowing her as she screamed into his mouth. But he didn't care, not anymore, and it was so _freeing_. She bit his insistent tongue and Estarossa relished it, driving into the pain that was his and his alone. Elizabeth had never done this with _him_ , Estarossa was certain: even when they were lovers all those years ago Meliodas had never gripped her and ground his body against her and tore her skirt. She had never bit him and left scratches on his skin and dug her heel into his thigh. This was theirs, and theirs alone.

Elizabeth pulled her mouth away and she slapped him, hard, against his face. He turned back to her, eyes flashing. "Is this what you did to my brother?"

"I hit him with my goddess magic," she seethed, "and I'll do the same to you if you don't let me go."

"Your power can't hurt me." Estarossa would laugh if it wasn't all so _absurd_. "I'm not from the darkness like my brother."

She frowned, but he did not care. Pinning her arms to her sides, he kissed her chest, dragging his mouth along the fabric that covered her breasts. Estarossa went down on his knees as he held her firmly. Leaning forward he slid his mouth along the smooth skin of her stomach, nipping her hip bone, and then tasted her thigh where the skirt was ripped and hanging open. She squirmed against him, and he looked up. "Elizabeth—"

Their eyes connected, and the world froze. All at once his dream rushed back to him: Elizabeth, gazing down at him, her wings soft and her voice kind and her eyes the color of the sky. His chest tightened uncomfortably, and Estarossa felt a single tear slip from his eye and roll down his cheek.

"You," she breathed. "I remember you."

He remembered her too: an angel, a vision, a _goddess_ that took notice of him, a useless nothing, a mistake. He tried to kill her, but she was so beautiful the knife had slipped from his fingers. She had caressed his cheek, her hand sliding along his scalp to soothe him, and nothing had ever felt so good or so right. "What happened?" she asked.

Estarossa blinked up at her. "What happened?" Elizabeth said again. "You were a demon, but could not harm another life. Why do you want to cause so much destruction?"

"This—" he stammered out. "Y-you—"

"Estarossa." He let go of his grip and his arms circled around her. The demon buried his face against her stomach, sucking in deep breaths, breathing in her scent. Elizabeth stood still in his arms, and for that he was glad. There were memories bombarding him now, of fighting and blood and pain, of the cruel snap of his name, of two dark eyes boring into him as he shook with fear.

"Shhh." Her fingers brushed his hair, and Estarossa trembled. There was shouting as they tried to get him to use a sword, a knife, a dagger, _anything_ , but it felt so foreign and wrong, just like he was. He tried again and again, and they brought him to the dungeon to kill a goddess, they gave him a child, they gave him a fairy and a dog and even a newly hatched dragon but he could not kill _any_ of them. He stood in the field in Britannia and watched as a beetle made its way through the tall grass, and as he held his boot over the doomed creature its nature called out to him, connected to his soul, filling him with a fear and agony that trumped the shame that would come later.

And the eyes, of the others, of his father, watching always _watching_.

He lived it all again, the pain of their disappointed and accusing eyes as he was subjected to the methods the demons had developed for securing obedience. Her fingers dusted his forehead, glancing against the mark on his brow, and he _remembered_. Elizabeth was her name, and she was his solace.

That is, until his father intervened. Zeldris had been born and was every bit the replacement heir that he had never been, so the king of demons had taken pity on his wayward son and gifted him a decree. That decree had burned inside of his soul, so that when Meliodas handed him a sword, he experienced none of the hesitation when he turned and plunged it into the chest of an advisor standing nearby. He had laughed then as the light faded from the demon's eyes, and Estarossa sliced him again and again until the hearts were destroyed and the demon was dead. He had never seen anything so beautiful as that first river of blood that pooled around his feet.

"Estarossa."

The memories extinguished with her voice.

"You weren't always like this, were you?"

That tone was awful. Why wasn't she fighting anymore, he wondered? Why didn't she claw him and curse him? The pain was his pleasure. The pain was his, his own, no one had given it to him, and no one could take it away.

"What happened to you?"

His muscles seized; Estarossa stood and pushed her away, stumbling back as Elizabeth stared at him in alarm. "I'm right, aren't I?" she asked, her voice tight with emotion. "Back then, you were—"

"No!" She was pushing him, like the demons did, like his father did, like his brother did, his brother he loved so much. Meliodas had been _everything_ he ever wanted to be, and then he had left. He had left him to his wrath that was caught in a cage, and the person who was everything to him took the one thing that meant anything to him. Three thousand years had gone by, and now she was staring at him with a look of pity that shook him to his core.

A wave of magic swept through Camelot, and both looked up on instinct. Voices came from the street, and Estarossa knew at once that the citizens had been returned to themselves. Did that mean Zeldris was defeated? Or was something else at play?

Elizabeth looked at him as he glanced back. "I can help you," she said quietly.

Estarossa frowned. "I don't want your help."

"Then what do you want?"

The magic pulsing through Camelot was tugging at his demon magic, and he grinned. "To feel Meliodas' blood on my hands again."

He had been hoping to shock her, but Elizabeth was too strong for that now. "I am going to save him," she said firmly.

Estarossa tilted his head. "I am going to kill him."

He did not expect the little smile that formed on her lips. "Then I guess we'll see which one of us wins."

His eyes widened. This was _his_ game, not _hers_ , and the idea that Elizabeth would play with him made him seethe. "You won't—"

They were interrupted by the crowd running, the mob frantic from the demons in the city. Estarossa growled in frustration, but when they dispersed, Elizabeth was gone again.

* * *

The old farmhouse held energies he had known for millennia. But the one at the door was a lovely young thing, just like his Elizabeth.

Derieri's cry fell on deaf ears as he lifted the soul to his lips. Yet when the juice of the apple slid down his chin, Estarossa was hardly angry. After all, the Commandment of Love could not hate.

It was an amusing fight, and he had to admit that old Monspeet had a few tricks up his sleeve. He had wanted _both_ decrees, though, and was angry when he sent Derieri away. But Estarossa had his revenge anyway.

"There's something I always wanted to tell you," Monspeet groaned.

Estarossa smirked as he squeezed his fist around Derieri's throat. The girl had always been blind, and he could see Monspeet's play before he made it. It would suffice, however, so Estarossa allowed it.

His hand went through Monspeet's chest, grasping the single heart that still remained. It felt so _good_ to be covered in the warmth of his blood, and Estarossa shuddered as Derieri's arms slipped around his neck. He could imagine for a moment that it was Elizabeth, embracing him as he took the life of the one who haunted them both.

"I'm sorry, Derieri," Monspeet choked.

Estarossa barely heard him over the fantasy playing in his mind. Meliodas was dying again, his bruised and bloody body dangling from his hand. His golden hair was matted with gore, his arm gone, and inside of his body beat seven hearts that he would see destroyed, for good this time. Behind him, Elizabeth wrapped her arms around him, kissing his cheek before nuzzling against his neck. Estarossa would watch Meliodas watch them, and Elizabeth would laugh as she pressed her body against him, whispering in his ear to take out the first heart.

"What did you want to say?" Derieri cried. "What would you tell me?"

Estarossa blinked. The last remaining bits of life were draining from Monspeet, making him smile. "He loved you, Deri," explained Estarossa, his lips twisting a bit as Monspeet's eyes widened. "All this time he loved you and you had no idea, you stupid girl."

Her scream as he crushed the demon's heart was like music, sustaining him even through the burst of flame that erupted with Monspeet's wrath. Estarossa had vanquished love, again.


End file.
